Fragile Heart
by ButterflyAngel64
Summary: In the future, Sesshoumaru is a wealthy business man. Having been through centuries without Rin, he finds Rin's reincarnation. However, Rin has no memories of her past. How did Rin die in the first place? What happened years ago? SessRin
1. A New Meeting

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Author's Notes: Hi everyone! This is my first attempt at an Inuyasha fan fiction, so please be nice with the reviews. I LIVE on reviews. Here's my motto: **LITTLE / NO REVIEWS = NO NEW CHAPTER / DELETE FAN FICTION.** You can call it bribe if you want to. By the way, I'm VERY slow to update, so please bear with me. One more thing, if someone did this before (or something like this fan fic) I honestly did not steal this idea from you. It just came to me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. If I did, then I would be rich by now – which I'm not. :(

Summary: In the future, Sesshoumaru is a wealthy business man. Having been through centuries without Rin, he finds Rin's reincarnation. However, Rin has no memories of her past. How did Rin die in the first place? What happened years ago? Sess/Rin

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Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 1: A New Meeting

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It was just like any other day. The sun was rising over the horizon, waking up the world with its brilliant red and orange colors. The city of Tokyo never looked better. The sky was as blue as ever and there wasn't even a dark cloud looming in the sky. Children played around in the grass, while the adults got ready for a new day. Everyone was smiling and laughing, like their lives just couldn't get any better. For Sesshoumaru, however, it was just like any other day.

Sesshoumaru did not see the splendor of Tokyo, while gazing out of his window. His mind was occupied with more troubled thoughts. One would think that time could dull any pain, regrets, or memories. Sesshoumaru had all the time in the world. He had seen many things in his lifetime. Some of the things he had seen are things that we could only see in our dreams…or in our nightmares. But for Sesshoumaru, time could not dull his troubled mind. In fact, time only fueled his pain as wood fuels a growing fire and makes it burn brightly. The immortality, that he possesses and had saved him countless times, was now his curse.

In one section of his lifetime, he was the infamous Lord of the Western Lands. Sesshoumaru was feared by both humans and youkai (demons) alike. He prided himself in his youkai heritage and despised his hanyou (half-demon) brother, Inuyasha. Although many know him as the cold-hearted demon lord, no one knows exactly why he had taken in a human child. The child's name was Rin. As Rin grew older into maturity, she became the most sought after maiden not only in the Western Lands but all over Japan as well. Her beauty was beyond compare, and it was even said that Sesshoumaru himself, although he detested humans, wanted Rin for his mate. At that time, Sesshoumaru was just as equally sought after as Rin, if not more so. However, it could not be proven whether these rumors had any truth in them. For on Rin's eighteenth birthday, she mysteriously died.

_Where are you… Rin…_

After staring out of the window for what seemed like hours, Sesshoumaru decided to take a walk in the park nearby his mansion. Grass and flowers were everywhere. The fragrant smell of flowers reminded him of Rin. When she was younger, Rin always seemed to pick flowers for him. Before, he dismissed it as the foolish, childish act that it was. He could never imagine himself actually missing the flowers or the child that gave it to him – but he did. For centuries he had waited. He waited for the child to return and give him beautiful flowers. He waited for Rin.

Sighing, Sesshoumaru stopped walking and sat down on a nearby bench. He wanted to come here so he could ease his troubled mind, but all he could think about was Rin. He looked around to see humans and demons coexisting together. Centuries earlier, had someone told the great lord that he would someday live, dress, and eat like a human, and other demons would do the same and even coexist with them, he would have laughed himself into a seizure. Then, he probably would have killed the man's family and friends, tortured the man himself, and cut him up into little pieces for even suggesting such a notion. And now here he was. The scene described was right before his eyes, and he still hasn't laughed or died yet. Most humans don't even know that demons existed. They only talk of them in bed time stories to frighten children who don't go to bed or listen to their elders. Things sure have changed… for the good or bad is still left to be seen.

Coming out of his thoughts, Sesshoumaru noticed that a young woman was standing in front of him. The woman had long, silky, black hair that traveled down to her buttocks. She had brown eyes and long eyelashes that seemed to brush against her high cheekbones. Her lips were red, and she was smiling at him. The sun was behind her, and it almost gave her an ethereal air about her.

She reached down and pulled a red rose from the dozen that she was holding. She presented the rose to him, still smiling.

"Don't look so pained. Today is a beautiful day. The sun is shinning, and there isn't a dark cloud in the sky. Enjoy yourself, and I hope this present will cheer you up."

Mechanically, as if in a trance, Sesshoumaru took the flower. The woman gave him one last, lingering simile and walked down the path. Sesshoumaru looked at the woman until she was out of sight, and then he looked at the flower she gave him.

_Red roses mean love…_

_ Yes, today is a beautiful day…_

_ Because I finally found you… Rin…_


	2. Rin's Life

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Author's Notes: Wow! I never expected so many reviews! Thank you! To the reviewer Crying Wasteland and everyone else, Rin is supposed to be eighteen years old in the first chapter. By the way, I read your fan fic, and I think it's really good. You must continue it! To the reviewer who wrote "Screw You! Ya it is ok. I've seen better", well, I am open to criticism, and I do accept flames. So, I'm still glad that you reviewed my story. Don't worry, I won't let you or everyone else down! 

Disclaimer: YES, YES, I ADMIT IT! I DO OWN INUYASHA! Hehehehe. Just joking.

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Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 2: Rin's Life

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"I'm home!" cried Rin. She entered the shrine, which came to be her home for eighteen years.

The shrine itself had a long history, as Grandpa keeps on telling her. Legend has it that there used to be a forest near the shrine. Centuries ago, it was called Inuyasha's Forest. The forest was named after a hanyou that had once tried to steal the Shikon no Tama (Jewel of the Four Souls), which is a powerful jewel that could be used for either good or evil, from the miko (priestess) Kikyou. Inuyasha was put to sleep for fifty years, before another miko saved him from his eternal slumber. Teaming up, the miko and hanyou searched the world to find the fragments of the Shikon no Tama, after a terrible accident that caused it to break and scatter all over Edo (now known as Tokyo). They had many adventures together and met many new friends. An unlikely team of humans and demons was formed to find the shards and defeat the malicious Naraku. Later, the pair fell in love with one another, and after the Final Battle they lived happily ever after…

_Just like all the other fairy tales…_thought Rin. _I wonder what happens after "happily ever after"…_

Just then screaming was heard inside the house. A woman appeared in her mid to late twenties. She was very beautiful with dark, blue eyes and long, raven hair, which was now pulled in a pony tail. She was twisting the ear of a rather annoyed looking man, who was obviously her husband. "Inuyasha, how many times do I have to tell you not to bother me when I'm studying?! If I don't pass this final, I'm not going to get my PhD! And if I don't pass, YOU ARE SOOOO SLEEPING ON THE COUCH!!!"

The man addressed had long, black hair that was tied in a pony tail at the base of his neck. He had black eyes and a strong build. Inuyasha was trying to get out of his wife's grip and trying to salvage whatever pieces of his ear that was left. Not that it matters anyway. _I'm probably going to go deaf_, Inuyasha thought cynically. "I don't even know why you study so much Kagome! You already got your high school diploma and BA for crying out loud! And do you have to yell so loudly at me!?!?!?!"

Kagome was about to retort back when suddenly her son got in between the two of them. He was an exact replica of his father, only with different eye color – he had dark, blue eyes, like his mother. "Rin-chan!" the child squealed, and he ran into his aunt's waiting arms. Rin laughed as she hugged her nephew, and the bickering between the couple abruptly stopped.

"Hi, Kagome! Hi, Inuyasha!" Rin always wondered why her brother-in-law would have the same name as the hanyou in the legend. Kagome explained to her once that his parents probably heard of the legend and decided that it would be a good name for their son.

"Rin! How was your date with Brain?" said Kagome as she too gave Rin a hug. Her mother had adopted Rin when they found her on their doorstep. Rin was less than a year old, and no one came to claim her. Rin was like a sister to her, kind of like Sango. But since the well was sealed, she couldn't go see Sango, Miroku, or Shippo anymore.

"It was fine," Rin replied nonchalantly.

"Well, if those roses are any indication, I think that it was more than just 'fine.' I bet there are a dozen roses in there," replied Kagome.

"I don't really like that guy. He seems so…boring. Kind of like that Hojo guy that was after Kagome before we got married. Feh! Like he had a chance!" Inuyasha said.

Kagome only hit Inuyasha in the ribs, as Rin laughed. Then, Kagome took the roses from Rin and decided to put them in a vase. But as Kagome counted them, there were only eleven roses. "Rin, where is the last rose?" Kagome cried to Rin as she was walking up to her bedroom.

Rin blushed and was glad that her back was turned to them. "I…lost it," replied Rin and quickly ran up to her room. Kagome looked confused at her behavior and decided to ask her about it later. Now, she was happily setting up the flowers and even more happily watching her son play with his father. Or rather, her son was trying to reach his father's pony tail and pull on it unbeknownst to his father.

When Rin got to her room, she jumped on the bed and made a loud sigh of relief. _Why am I blushing over some guy that I met in the park?_ Rin has dated some guys in her college and even high school years, but none of them were long term. There was always something Rin found missing in them, or there was something wrong with them. Rin had finished high school early, because she skipped several grades. She was now in her junior year of college. _He is very handsome…_ Rin thought, thinking about the guy in the park. _Let's see, he had dark, black eyes that actually kind of resembles Inuyasha's. Only his hair was snowy, white, but he doesn't look to be over thirty or so. He must have dyed it or something. His hair was also tied in a pony tail, and his body had a pretty good build too… _Rin blushed again at this thought. Rin's face now looked like a very healthy, red tomato.

Rin sighed and thought that it would probably be the last time she saw him. When she gave him that rose, she was only trying to cheer him up. _He seemed so sad and loney…like he's lost something precious to him._ Sighing again, Rin got up and decided to go to the museum nearby. _Maybe that would help…_

Little did Rin know, it was only the beginning…

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Before you flame me, I know, I know. I am evil. I just left you guys with a cliffhanger, and the chapter was crappy and the title was crappy. But have no fear, since I'm on vacation, I'll have the next chapter up pretty soon. Please review and be the nice people that you are, and I'll make it REALLY soon!


	3. A Picture of Memories

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Author's Note: Ok. First of all, I do not take Japanese. So, I don't know any names that are Japanese. If you have any, I would really like to hear them. Maybe later on I can edit Brain out, but that's after I'm finished with this fan fic. Until then, let's just say that he's an American. Second, I am junior who is going crazy with all this college stuff. You can not believe the amount of work I have to do. Sorry about my stupid errors in the second chapter. I will also edit that when I get there. Third, Inuyasha is human. He looks exactly like he is supposed to when it's the first day of the first month (is that right?). As much as I love his ears, you can't look like a demon if you want to make a living right? I thought his eyes were black, but I could be wrong. Anywayz, if I make anymore mistakes, please tell me, and I will revise it. Although I try to edit things before I post it up, I am human, and I do miss some details. 

Hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I hate putting up this thing. I do not own Inuyasha; no matter how much I want to it isn't happening.

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Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 3: A Picture of Memories

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When Rin finally got to the museum, she immediately went to the section labeled "Japanese Antiquities." This part of the building was filled with all sorts of ancient Japanese relics. The time periods that these relics came from varied. It ranged from the early first century to the late twelfth century. The room was filled with Japanese artwork, poetry, pottery, swords, and anything else that one can imagine. The museum itself held the most complete edition of the ancient Japanese culture.

Rin worked at this museum once before. She was an intern one summer when she suddenly took an interest in her ancient heritage. She saw most of the pieces in the museum already, but they had a couple of new editions. One of these pieces that especially stunned her was a piece of artwork. It was titled "I Own the World, But You Own My Heart." In the picture, there was a great, white dog hovering in the sky over a village. The dog had its fangs bared to the running villagers. Blood was dripping from its mouth, and the village itself was in flames. The sky was red and gray from the fire and smoke. Although the villagers were painted really small, you could still see the fear in their eyes as they ran from the great dog. However, there was one villager that didn't run. It was a young woman. She was staring straight at the dog without any fear. She seemed to be very beautiful, and you can actually see the love and sadness in her eyes although some parts of her face faded with time. Although the dog was very ferocious, if one looked hard enough, you could also detect the love shinning from its eyes.

There was a description about the picture, and Rin read it out loud. It said:

**I Own the World, But You Own My Heart**

This painting is a depiction of an ancient legend. Legend has

it that the white dog is a youkai who fell in love with a

beautiful human woman. However, they were both destined

to live as star-crossed lovers.

The youkai was both a feared and powerful creature, and it

ruled many lands. On one of his travels, he met a young

maiden. It was said that the youkai was so captivated by

her beauty that he did not have the heart to kill her. In turn,

she fell in love with the youkai. However, the blood running

through the veins of the youkai could not be denied. It is said

that upon reaching the young maiden's village, he killed all of

the villagers and burned all the houses. The maiden looked on

the destruction with great sadness. She could not bear the fact

that her true love could be so vicious, and she was still in love

with him. The only way she believed that could quell the pain

was to end her life. When the great youkai found out, it was

too late. The youkai was so saddened that he never killed

another human again. Instead, he chose to lock himself inside

his castle for all eternity.

"Very sad, isn't it?" said a very calm voice behind her.

Rin turned around to see a man standing behind her with his hands behind his back, also studying the picture. With wide eyes, Rin stared at the man. _It's the same man that I met in the park!_ He was looking at her as if he was expecting something. Then, Rin realized that he had asked her a question. Trying to calm her wildly beating heart from both the shock of finding someone behind her and from seeing the man again, Rin replied, "Ano (Um)…ye…yes, it is very sad."

Sesshoumaru just stared at the young woman in front of him. _She looks just like she did so many years ago. I thought I would see some changes, like that miko's reincarnation, Kagome. But Rin looks exactly like I remember her to be…beautiful…_ Snapping back to the present, Sesshoumaru asked another question, "Do you think she forgave him?"

_Great! Just great! I come here so I can try to stop thinking about a guy that I just met in the park, and now here he is! I hate my luck. Well…still…he is very handsome…WHAT AM I THINKING!?!?!?!_ Trying to hide the blush that was threatening to show, Rin said, "I…I think she forgave him. I mean he never killed another human again, and she loves him. I think no matter how evil the person you love is you'll always find a way to forgive them."

"…I suppose," Sesshoumaru replied. _Do you forgive me, Rin, for killing your own kind? But she doesn't have any memories of her past._ After a long pause, Sesshoumaru asked, "What is your name?"

_Should I tell him? I mean he is just some guy that just met. Still, it feels like that I've known him forever._ With a simile, Rin said, "My name is Rin Higurashi, and I live in a shrine near here."

"Are you majoring in Japanese history?" Sesshoumaru asked, seeing as how she was so interested in the history of Japan.

"Well, no. Although I like learning about it, my major is in business. I'm hoping to work as an intern at the Inu of the West Corps."

"Good luck then," Sesshoumaru said as he started walking away.

"Wait!" Rin cried. Sesshoumaru turned around and stared at her. Rin was starting to get nervous again and asked meekly, "Will I see you again?"

Sesshoumaru paused and said, "Yes, I'm sure we will." _I promise you, Rin. We will finish what we started centuries ago, and it will end like it should end…happily ever after…_ Then, Sesshoumaru started walking out of the museum.

Rin stared at him, wondering how they were going to meet again. _I hope I get to see him soon…_

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What's up with the picture and all? Well, it's not how Rin REALLY gets killed. It's just how Sesshoumaru thinks she got killed. If you're confused, you'll understand later on…hopefully.

How is Rin going to see Sesshoumaru again? Well, I'll give you three hints. They are:

1.) Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are both dog demons.

2.) Inu means dog in Japanese.

3.) Sesshoumaru was the Lord of the Western Lands.

If you guys still don't get it, sigh well, you'll just have to wait till the next chapter!

Ja ne!

PS. I'm going to move in with my grandmother for a month, so I won't be updating that much. At my Grandma's, there is NO, I repeat NO, computer. I know; it is going to be torture. But remember, reviews always help to speed things along! 30 reviews isn't asking for too much…is it?


	4. A Few Surprises

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Author's Notes: SORRY! I am soooooo sorry for waiting this long to update, but I do have some very good reasons. First, I was at my grandmother's, and I had to look after her. Second, my homework and projects were killing me. I had to do a ton of research for them, and I still need to do my poster. Third, I had to go to this Kaplan thing to help me with the SAT exam that I'm taking in May. My life has just very plainly gone hectic. Please, please, forgive me! Here is a nice LONG chapter to make it up to you guys. I might write another long chapter later, but that's not a promise. By the way, to the reviewer tenshineko, THANK-YOU soooooo much for the Japanese names! 

Hope you like this chapter, and don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: Roses are red. Violets are blue. Inuyasha doesn't belong to me, and neither to you!

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Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 4: A Few Surprises

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The phone was ringing. "I'll get it!" Rin said and ran to the phone on the counter. "Hello?"

"Hi, Rin! It's me, Brian. I know that today's your first day at work, so I'll come around and pick you up. I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Bye," Brian said and hung up. He put his cell phone away, while he was driving the car. He and Rin have been dating for a little over a month now, and he was having the time of his life. Although they have only been dating for a short time, he felt that he was already in love with Rin. He couldn't imagine a day without seeing her. That was one of the reasons why he recommended her to work at the Inu of the West Corps – he worked there as well. _Now I'll get to see her more!_ Brian was so happy. Lately, Rin seemed to be avoiding him. _Maybe I did something wrong. Well, whatever it is, I'll make it up to her. Once I find out what has been bugging her, I'll finally propose, and we'll get married and have a happy family_, Brian thought with a smile as he drove towards the shrine.

Rin hung up the phone and sighed. _Couldn't he take a hint?_ Rin wanted to tell him that it was over between them that day when he gave her the roses. She was getting a bit tired of their relationship, and he was getting – how did Inuyasha put it again? – boring. Rin actually considered quitting, but the Inu of the West Corps is a multibillion dollar corporation, and she will be able to gain more experience. They only wanted one intern, and Rin was lucky that she got accepted. Her work description included an opportunity to work with the founder of the corporation himself. She will also get a chance to partake on some of his meetings. To put it simply: It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Rin sighed again and got her purse and briefcase. _I'll just take the subway. Maybe, then, he'll take the hint and won't bother me anymore._

"Rin, are you leaving now?" Kagome asked. Kagome had asked Rin what was bothering her when she got back from the museum. As always, Rin told Kagome everything. She was glad that Rin decided to "dump" Brain. It wasn't that he was mean or ugly. Like Inuyasha said, he seemed too much like Hojo. Kagome cringed at the thought.

"Yeah, I think I'll just take the subway. Ja ne," said Rin and gave Kagome a kiss on the cheek.

When she went outside, Rin saw her nephew, Keichi, sitting beside his father, who was sprawled on the ground with his hands and feet apart. Keichi was shaking his father, looking worried. Rin came over and asked Keichi what was wrong. "I… I… poked Dad with a stick when he wasn't looking, and he…he fell down, and…and now I can't wake him up," Keichi said on the verge of tears. "…Did …did …did I just…just…_kill_…Dad?" Keichi asked in a whisper looking at Rin. Before Rin could answer, Keichi felt a tap on his shoulder, and he turned around.

"Boo!"

"Ahhhhhh!" Keichi screamed, and he ran towards Rin to hide behind her legs. Looking at his son, Inuyasha pointed at him and laughed uproariously. He was laughing so hard that tears began to form in his eyes. Keichi, however, was not amused. "Hey! You tricked me!" Keichi said, while fuming with rising anger. He was usually the one who tricked his Dad.

"Serves you right for sneaking up on me and poking me with that stick! I just might get a bruise!" Inuyasha said grinning at his son. "Now, come here!" Inuyasha went up to his son and wrapped him in a big bear hug. Keichi was laughing now, as Inuyasha tousled his son's hair. He then noticed that Rin was giggling, and he lifted Keichi onto his shoulder so he could sit there. "So are you going to work now, Rin?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah, I'm planning to take the subway. I'll see you guys after work!" Rin kissed Keichi on the cheek and waved good-bye to Inuyasha.

The walk to the subway didn't take more than five minutes, but Rin had to wait twenty minutes for the train. _Maybe, I should have taken that ride with Brain. At least, then, I wouldn't be late on my first day._ When the train finally came, she noticed that it was really crowded. Rin accidentally bumped into someone, while trying to squeeze in. "Gomen (Sorry)…" Rin started, but she immediately stopped when she looked up. _It's that guy… AGAIN!_

Sesshoumaru looked at the person that bumped into him. He was a bit surprised to see Rin again so soon. "Are you alright, Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked seeing the shocked look on her face.

Snapping out of her trance, Rin replied, "Ano… ye… yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that." _Wait a second. He remembered my name! Maybe, he feels that there is something between us also… _Realizing what she just thought, Rin fought the becoming blush that was tinting her cheeks into a beautiful pink color.

Sesshoumaru watched her trying to hide her blush, but she was failing miserably. In reaction, Sesshoumaru inwardly smiled. "That's alright. Where are you going?"

"I'm trying to get to work, but the train was late. I just hope that I'll make it on time."

"Don't worry about it. We'll both make it." Seeing Rin's confused expression, Sesshoumaru asked, "You're going to work at the Inu of the West Corps, right?" Rin nodded, and Sesshoumaru continued to explain, "I work there, too, and sometimes I take the train to work. I usually arrive about an hour early, and the train was only delayed for forty minutes. The walk from the subway to the building takes about five minutes. If all goes well, we might even arrive early."

Rin smiled at him. She was so happy! _This is too good to be true! Not only am I not late for work, but I might also get to work on the same floor as… Hey, I don't even know his name yet!_ "I just realized that this is the third time I've seen you, and I don't even your name yet."

"My name is Sesshoumaru."

Rin pondered over his name, and as a habit when she was thinking about something, Rin mumbled, "Sess… hou… maru… The first two words together mean 'kill' or 'destroy'…" Realizing what she just said, Rin quickly apologized, "Sorry about that. I didn't mean that you are a cruel person."

Sesshoumaru said nothing for long time. Afraid that she had upset him, Rin started to say another apology, but stopped when Sesshoumaru said, "That's alright. What does your name mean?"

"Hmmm… Rin… I think it means 'companion'." Rin said.

_…I think it suits you_, Sesshoumaru thought, thinking about old times. _Perhaps, I can get her to be my "companion" again… _Seizing his opportunity, Sesshoumaru asked, "Rin, would you do me the honor of being my 'companion' during a business engagement that I must attend?"

_Is he asking me out on a date?!_ Trying to still her wildly beating heart, Rin shakily smiled and said, "Of course, Sesshoumaru. I would love to. Besides I must live up to my name."

Then, Sesshoumaru did something that, in turn, made Rin do something that she could't do just moments before. Sesshoumaru smiled…at her! And Rin's heart just stopped beating. _He looks even more handsome, when he smiles! His eyes look like its sparkling with warmth, and I could almost feel the tenderness and joy radiating from him. I could stay like this forever… _Rin thought, mesmerized by him.

"Arigatou (Thank-you), Rin." Sesshoumaru said, still smiling.

Then, the train arrived at their stop.

Sesshoumaru and Rin didn't talk to each other as they walked to a huge building two blocks from the subway station. Rin gasped in awe at the building in front of her. The building was forty stories high at least, and at first sight the building was very impressive. They entered through the revolving doors, and the building was just as impressive inside. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, which was painted with a variety of pictures. These pictures ranged from war scenes to the pictures of angels. In the lobby, there were two escalators and about four elevators on each side of the wall. There was also a large, grand staircase in the middle of the room. The reception desk was in front of the staircase and underneath the chandelier. People were everywhere, either talking on a cell phone or to each other. Others were holding files or briefcases, and they all looked like they were supposed to be somewhere ten minutes ago.

Rin felt a bit intimidated by all this, and she was fidgeting with her briefcase. Sesshoumaru looked at Rin for the first time since they got there. He noticed that she was nervous. "Do you know where you're supposed to go?" asked Sesshoumaru.

"Ano… I think I'm supposed to go to the top floor."

"Then, come with me," said Sesshoumaru, leading her to one of the elevators. When they reached the top floor, Sesshoumaru and Rin walked down a long aisle. They passed by around ten people, and they all bowed their head in respect to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru just continued walking, not giving them any notice.

_He must be pretty important here…_ Rin thought. Then, Sesshoumaru used a card to open the double doors in front of them. When they walked in, Sesshoumaru was bombarded with people from all sides.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you have a meeting in fifteen minutes."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you need to sign some of these papers."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, here are some phone calls for you today."

Somehow Rin managed to get out of the group surrounding Sesshoumaru in one piece. _OK… he must be VERY important here…_ Rin thought.

Once the crowd around Sesshoumaru thinned, Sesshoumaru turned to Rin. "You should go check-in at the reception desk here with Jaken. Just take a right. Like I said before, don't worry about it. Your first day will be perfect, and I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven for the business engagement we're going to," Sesshoumaru said.

Rin smiled and said, "That's great! See you then." After that Sesshoumaru turned and left.

Rin looked around and saw that everyone was looking at her with a shocked expression. _Why are they looking at me like that?_ Rin thought, feeling uneasy again.

Then, a woman about five years older than Rin walked up to her smiling. "Hi, my name's Sango."

"I'm Rin," Rin said, shaking Sango's hand.

Without wasting any time, Sango said, "I can't believe that you and Sesshoumaru-sama have a date together! This was only your first day, too, and you already caught the boss' eye! I have _never_ heard him say more than _one_ sentence to someone before! He must _really_ like you!"

Rin just stared at Sango stupidly, as if not comprehending what she told her – and she really didn't. "Wait! Back up! You just said that Sesshoumaru is WHAT?!"

Sango looked at Rin confused. "I said that Sesshoumaru-sama is our boss, and you two have a date together. Why? Didn't you know that he's the sole founder of the Inu of the West Corps?" Sango asked.

Rin stared at Sango blankly. _I HAVE A DATE WITH MY BOSS?!_

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This chapter took me forever! I might have put this up sooner if my annoying little brother wasn't hogging the computer, so blame it on him!

OK, just so you guys can have a good idea of what to expect next, here's a little riddle:

What do you get when you mix two guys, who are in love with the same woman and working in the same building, together?

Answer: trouble!

P.S. Ja ne means good-bye…or something like that…I think.

P.S.S Tomorrow (March 4th) is my birthday! So, could you guys give me a nice birthday present by reviewing? Is 40 reviews too much? It is my birthday you know!


	5. Rin's Perfect First Day

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Author's Notes: Oh my God! I can't believe I have so many reviews! You guys REALLY know how to say, "Happy Birthday!" Thank-you! Thank-you! Thank-you! sniff sniff sniff You guys are the best! I even got some e-mails saying, "Happy Birthday" too. Thank-you everyone!

I know that I've been a real jerk for not updating, but I only have three words to say: "I'm **REALLY** busy!" I had a ton of homework to makeup, because I lost my notebook. Thank God I found it! Now, I have to rewrite my homework into my notebook. Do you know how WRONG that can be? I swear my hand would break off at any second! Then, I had to write an eight, I repeat EIGHT, page report. I also had a ton of other essays to write. Next, I had to study for my math test. The just goes on and on. sigh March is definitely **the** busiest month for me. sigh

It has been suggested to me that I should put the translations at the top of the fic. I saw other people do it too, but I didn't like to look up and find the translations. However, if you guys prefer that then I'll do it. I know that you guys have some questions for me. Unfortunately, I can't answer most of them – that would ruin the story, and you guys wouldn't want that now do you? But, I can answer this: The only people who have their full memories of their pasts right now are Sess, Inu, Kag, and Jaken. Three other characters (you'll see them later) also still have their memories. I already wrote two other fanfics, and they're called "Beauty and the Youkai" Sess/Rin and "Sesshoumaru's Dilemma" Sess/Kag/Rin (don't know who will win yet). After I'm finished with this, I plan to work on "Beauty and the Youkai" – that is unless my crazy mind comes up with something else!

This fanfic would probably be ten or more chapters long. I'm still not sure. I have most of the plot planned out; I just have to type it up, but I seem to be experiencing a severe lack of enthusiasm to write. Is this some of the symptoms of the dreaded writer's block? Dum dum dummm. (And, yes, I do want to be a doctor someday or maybe a scientist. And, no, not the mad scientist kind.)

Please review and enjoy! (Wow, this is a LONG author's note, ne?)

Disclaimer: sniff sniff sniff Why must you cruel people make me put this up? Why must you people remind me that I do not own Inuyasha? calms down Yes, people, it is true. Contrary to popular belief (or just my own mind), I do not own Inuyasha. tears start falling, and starts running away crying hysterically WHAAAAAA!!! LIFE IS NOT FAIR!!!

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 5: Rin's "Perfect" First Day

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Nani = What Demo=But Hentai = Pervert Baka = Stupid

* * *

"Hi, my name is Rin Higurashi, and I'm the new intern. I think I'm supposed to check-in here," Rin said to a grumpy old man.

After having standing and staring at nothing in particular, Rin finally snapped out of it when Sango dragged her into the restroom and dunked her head into the _freezing, ice-cold_ water. Of course, Sango apologized profusely for having to resort to such extreme measures. Rin told Sango that it was alright and told her not to worry about it. In fact, Rin was more than happy that Sango had done that; it helped get her head out of its confusing thoughts. _Why did he ask me to go with him? There's probably a whole line of beautiful women – models, actresses, maybe even princesses – just waiting for his call, so they can go out with him! WHY ME?! Not that I mind…_

Rin's inner conflicts were soon cut off by the annoying old man in front of her. The old man was undoubtedly Jaken – the one Sesshoumaru told her about. He was really short, barely reaching past her knees. He had on a small tailored suit and a gray tie. He was wearing green pants that matched his suit and black shoes. His hair was all gray, and he was balding at the crown. He had gray eyes that reflected his age and wisdom (or lack thereof), and he was currently rambling about something over the phone. For some reason, Rin imagined him with green skin and a short beak, like a frog. Rin mentally giggled at the thought.

After putting down the receiver, Jaken turned to look at the woman that addressed him earlier. _She hasn't changed much…_ thought Jaken. Sesshoumaru had told Jaken briefly about finding Rin a couple of days ago. If he hadn't, Jaken would probably have had his eyes bulging out of his sockets right about now. _After all these years, Rin, you finally returned to us. _Jaken hated to admit it, but he missed her. He even missed all those fights that they used to have. The last time he saw her, Rin had been crying. Then, he heard from his master that Rin was dead. _Sesshoumaru-sama__ had been as emotionless as always that day. When he told me about her death, his voice was monotonous. But underneath it all, I could detect his grief and anguish. He has been solemn ever since that gloomy day. Now that Rin is back, hopefully they can straight things out…_ Then, Jaken noticed the laughing gleam in Rin's eyes. "NANI?!" screeched Jaken.

"Nothing!" Rin said, choking back her laughter.

Jaken glared at Rin and then handed her two cards and an agenda. "This is the card used to open the double doors. Don't lose it! You won't get another one, and then you won't be able to get inside. This other card is your ID card. If you get into any trouble with the guards downstairs, just show this to them. The agenda tells you the schedule of all of Sesshoumaru-sama's meetings. Don't lose that either! Sango will show you to your office and introduce you to the others."

"Arigatou, Jaken-sama!" Rin said with a smile.

Jaken mentally smiled at hearing her say "Jaken-sama." _Just like old times…_

Then, Rin added, "Demo I think I can find my office on my own."

Sango was right beside Rin and heard everything. "Come on, Rin! It'll be fun! I'll show the guys first," said Sango.

Rin complied and started to follow Sango. Then, Rin heard someone mutter under their breath, "Humph! She'll probably lose her way without any help…"

Rin was growing red with anger when she heard this. _What did I ever do to that…that…toad!_ Rin was about to walk back give Jaken a piece of her mind, but before she could open her mouth and retort, she was being dragged down the hall by Sango.

Jaken mentally laughed at the scene. _Hehehe__… Just like old times indeed…_

"Alright, Rin, this is everybody! Everybody this is Rin!" Sango said, but nobody was listening. They, or rather all the women, were too busy hitting, slapping, punching, or just plainly killing a guy with a short pony tail, while the males of the group were also too busy laughing their heads off.

"How could you guys do that?!" Rin said alarmed and ran to the young man that was currently twitching on the floor. "Are you alright?" Rin asked, when the women stopped and looked at Rin in confusion. The man had black hair and porcelain skin. His hair was tied back in a short pony tail at the base of his neck. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a blue tie.

Rin was so worried about his condition that she didn't notice where his hand had wandered. Then, Rin felt something touching her bottom, and she turned around to see what it was. _It's a hand! Correction, IT'S THAT MAN'S HAND!!!_ Rin turned around to see that he had gotten up, and he was smiling at her.

"You have a VERY nice bottom there – soft and round," the man said still smiling.

Rin grew red again and screamed, "HENTAI!!!" Unfortunately for him, Rin took karate class and was a black belt. She took his perverted hand off her bottom and swung him over _at least_ three desks. Luckily (or unluckily) for him, he had a hard head, and his head just went right through the wall.

"WOW! What a throw!" The women were clapping, while the men were whistling. Sango was laughing so hard that tears started to fall from her eyes. Rin just kneeled there, trying to catch her breath.

Once all the excitement had dimmed, Sango once again introduced Rin to the others. "Everyone, the woman you see before you, that is to be commended everywhere for standing up and saving us from my demented boyfriend, Miroku, is Rin!" Sango said, presenting Rin to the others like she was hero.

Rin was blushing while the others clapped. Then, Rin remembered what Sango said earlier and her blush faded. "Oh, I'm really sorry Sango for doing that to your boyfriend."

"Don't worry about it. He'll be back up in a few hours… regrettably," Sango muttered under her breath. "Here, let me show you to your office," said Sango, smiling.

Sango led Rin to a spacious and comfortable looking room. It had a desk with two chairs in front of it. A computer and laptop was on the desk. There were also numerous files piled on top of the desk. Some pictures hung on the wall, mostly depicting fields of flowers. Two sofas were set on the wall, completing the office.

"Wow…" said Rin, awed. "I never expected such a big room."

"Actually most of the other offices are just like this one. Inu of the West Corps is a pretty wealthy company, so they can actually afford stuff like this. Well, this is where I leave you. Sesshoumaru-sama has a meeting in five minutes, and you're expected to attend. Go to the end of the hall, and you'll get to the meeting room. Good luck!" said Sango, leaving Rin in her office.

_A MEETING IN FIVE MINUTES?! I'm going to be late!_ Rin thought. _First, I get yelled at by some baka toad. Then, I get groped, and now, I'm going to be late for my first meeting! This is such a "perfect" first day!_

Rin grabbed some files and ran out of the room as if her shoes were on fire.

* * *

Sorry about that! I know I was supposed to give you guys some major conflicts between Sess and Brian, but I just can't write anymore. I promise to update ASAP (as soon as possible). Ja ne!


	6. Cat Fights and Dog Fights

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Author's Notes: Here it is – the long awaited Chapter 6! Sorry for the delay, but I was REALLY sick. My health was never that great. I'm also sorry for the previous chapter. I did that one in a rush when it was near midnight, so it wasn't as good as I had hoped. Sorry again and enjoy! It's a nice LONG one. By the way, THANK-YOU loyanini for the names! 

Disclaimer: ME. NO. OWN. INUYASHA!

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 6: Cat Fights and Dog Fights

* * *

The meeting room was huge. Since the building itself was made almost entirely out of glass, the room had a beautiful view of Tokyo making it seem larger than it already was. However, it's most notable feature was a picture of a white dog, roaming around in a huge forest, on the wall opposite of the door. The emblem was a representation of the Inu of the West Corps, and the company name could be seen on top of it in gold letters. A large leather chair was set in front of it at the head of a large, black table in the middle of the room. Chairs were placed on either side of the table…and they were all filled except for one.

Rin's observations were cut short when she felt someone behind her.

"I think it would be best if we take our seats, so we may begin," a soft voice whispered behind her ear.

Rin turned to see Sesshoumaru standing behind her with an indifferent expression. _Does he like to sneak up on people like that, or is it just me?!_ Rin thought, trying to calm her wildly beating heart. _I just had one HELL of a time getting here to say the least. I bumped into ten people _at least_, almost dropping all the files in my hand, and I would have fallen over if someone hadn't caught me. I sooooo do not need to have ten years of my life scared away from me!_ Rin glared at him as he motioned to the seat beside him at the head of the table.

Ignoring her glares, Sesshoumaru started with the introductions. "Everyone, this is Rin the new intern." Despite everything that happened that day, Rin bowed politely and smiled at everyone. "She will be accompanying me on all of my meetings and business trips. You may introduce yourselves to her if you wish."

"Hi, my name's Shippo. I'm the Vice-President of this corporation. If you need any help with anything, don't hesitate to ask me," said Shippo, extending his hand with a smile on his face.

Rin looked at the man to the left of where Sesshoumaru was sitting. He had short red hair, and his light brown eyes seemed to sparkle as he smiled. Rin could tell that he had a nice build behind his suit, and he was pretty tall. Rin was a bit surprised that the Vice-President looked so young. _He looks no more than twenty-five,_ Rin thought. _But he seems really nice._ Rin shook hands with him and smiled. "I will. I just hope that you won't find me a nuisance."

Shippo laughed as he sat down and said, "Not at all. I'm sure we'll be fast friends."

Rin continued to shake hands with everyone as they introduced themselves. She abruptly stopped, and the courteous smile she had on vanished when she saw someone that she didn't want to see – Brian.

Not wanting to make a scene, Rin forced a smile on her face and said, "Hi, I'm Rin."

Brian said nothing for a moment that was probably a few seconds, but it seemed like hours to Rin. Finally, he said, "I'm Brian. It's nice to have you here." Brian shook her hand and sat down.

Releasing a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding, Rin continued but stopped again when she reached the last person sitting to the right of Sesshoumaru. She looked to be a very beautiful, but cold woman. She had long golden hair and icy blue eyes. She also had a slim waist that was accentuated by her tight clothing. As Rin stared at her, she stared back in return assessing Rin with her cool gaze. Apparently she didn't like what she saw, as she sat back down without shaking Rin's proffered hand. Then in a silky voice, she said, "I'm Asakusa the CEO of this corporation."

"Nice to meet you," Rin said, sitting back down.

Shippo noticed that one name hadn't been introduced and looked around. Seeing the empty chair, he asked, "Where's Miroku?"

"After the paramedics came and pulled him out of the wall, they rushed him to the hospital," someone said.

"Really? Third time this week…a new record," said Shippo thoughtfully. Turning back to Rin, he said, "Miroku is also the CEO here. I think he has some sort of incurable brain damage. How else can you explain his inability to grasp the concept of 'look but don't touch'? You'll think he'll finally get it after all the slaps he got from the women."

While Rin was giggling at Shippo's comment, Sesshoumaru decided to begin the meeting. "What's on the agenda?"

"Our sister enterprise in Hong Kong is facing bankruptcy, and they are asking for our help. Their lawyer has spoken to me about selling their corporation to us. They believe that we would make good use of their company. We have settled the price to half a million U.S. dollars. All we need now is your approval and signature, Sesshoumaru-sama," said Asakusa, handing Sesshoumaru a file.

Sesshoumaru looked through it, as Shippo countered, "I don't think this would be the best solution. Although we had many business dealings with the Kum Kei Corps in the past, I do not believe we could truly make a large profit from such a transaction."

"The statistical profit that can be gained is actually 5% higher than before."

"I doubt your calculations included the expenses required for workers, equipment, and such things."

"Besides, it would be a downside for some of our other business dealings," Shippo added. "The other corporations are already looking down on us for even associating with such a small company, although it is their own ignorance that is keeping them from realizing its true worth. The Kum Kei Corps is only valuable to us as a business ally, not as a joint corporation."

"Then, are you suggesting that we sit back and allow the Kum Kei Corps to close down? If that is what you're suggesting, then are you aware of the amount of losses this decision would lead to? If we don't buy the Kum Kei Corps, no other company would, and we would lose one of our major assets," replied Asakusa heatedly.

Rin stared at the arguing sides blankly. _But the solution is so simple…or at least I think it is._ Rin looked to her right to see Sesshoumaru flipping through the file nonchalantly. _Is he even paying attention?_ Rin saw Sesshoumaru look at a page, and in less than two seconds, he goes on to the next. _Forget that, is he even reading the report? It's like he's just quickly scanning through it…_

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rin decided to speak her mind. _What's the worst thing that can happen to me that didn't happen already?_ Rin took a deep breath and said, "I agree with Shippo. The Japanese and Chinese governments are not exactly at the best of terms to begin with. Both governments fear a monopoly, which such a transaction can create regardless of how small the Kum Kei Corps is. The only way to deal with this is to offer them a loan. Regardless of the amount of interest we can gain, the profit in itself will most likely double."

Everyone just stared at her. Rin gulped and blushed under their gazes. _Did I say something wrong? Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. No one really expected me to have an opinion on the matter anyway. I only looked over the reports while I was running down the hallway._

"And what you know about the situation?" Asakusa asked with a raised manicured eyebrow, mirroring Rin's thoughts.

Rin grew redder, but before she could say anything Sesshoumaru spoke up first. "Rin's right." Tossing the file on the desk, he continued, "Nothing good could be gained from this. I will settle the matter personally in Hong Kong at my earliest convenience. Meeting adjourned," Sesshoumaru stated firmly, leaving no room for arguments as he got up to leave.

Rin let out a breath the second time that day. _I'm going to have to thank Sesshoumaru for this,_ Rin thought, forgetting about her earlier annoyance with him. Before she got up as well, Rin leaned towards Sesshoumaru and whispered, "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru nodded slightly, acknowledging that he heard her and left the room. Then, Rin noticed that Asakusa was glaring at her from across the table, before she too left the room. _What's her problem?_ Rin thought, as she left the room.

As she was walking down the hallway to her office, Rin saw Sango running up to her. "So how did it go?" Sango asked a bit breathless from all here running.

"It went fine," said Rin. Then, she remembered the glare that Asakusa gave her when she left. "Sango, do you know anything about a woman named Asakusa?"

"Don't tell me you got into trouble with her?!" cried Sango, practically screaming. A couple of people turned their heads to see what all the commotion was about as Rin pulled Sango into her office.

"Shhh! I don't want everyone else to know about this!" Rin said. "And no, I didn't get into trouble with her…well, not really. She glared at me as she left the meeting room."

"OK, that's bad. Well, there's not much that I know about her other than she's a rich, spoiled brat. Her father is a major business man, and our company even has some associations with him."

"Then, why does she work here?" Rin questioned.

"There are rumors that say she's in love with Sesshoumaru-sama and wants to be with him. Others say that she is helping her father bring down the Inu of the West Corps. But those are just rumors, no one really knows for certain. What I _do_ know is that she's nothing but a lying, cheating scumbag! I don't like talking about people behind their backs, but with her I'll make an exception. One of my friends used to work here as her secretary, but she got fired because she lost an important file. But I remember seeing Asakusa taking that file and shredding it when my friend went to the restroom."

"But why would Asakusa do something like that?"

"I don't know. I remember my friend telling me that she liked Sesshoumaru-sama once, and it was nothing but just girlish prattle. Then, Asakusa passed by and glared at us. She just left without saying anything. The next thing I knew, my friend was already packing her things to leave," Sango said a bit bitterly.

"Excuse me, but I didn't know you had company, Rin."

Rin froze. She turned around to see…

"Brian! What are you doing here?" Rin asked, trying to recover from her earlier shock. _Well, at least it wasn't Asakusa…_

"I wanted to speak to you…alone," said Brian, looking at Sango.

"Well then, I'll just leave you guys here," Sango said leaving. She gave Rin an encouraging smile before she closed the door.

Cutting straight to the point, Rin asked, "What do you want to talk to me about, Brain?"

"Why didn't you wait for me to pick you up?" Brian asked, equally as blunt.

"Well…" Rin started, getting a bit uncomfortable. _Why does he have to be so difficult…but, I have to set him straight._ Rin opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. _Come on you can do it, Rin…_ "I thought you wouldn't be able to make it because of traffic," Rin lied. _Nice going, Rin. Really smooth,_ Rin thought sarcastically, silently berating herself.

Brian smiled as he took Rin's hands into his own. "Really – that's all? For a moment there I thought you were trying to avoid me," Brian admitted a bit sheepishly, as Rin berated herself some more. Kneeling in front of her, Brian continued, "Rin, I know that we've only known each other a really short time, but I've come to care about you…"

Rin felt a feeling of dread come over her. _Is this what I think it is?_ Rin thought, getting more nervous.

"…deeply…"

Remember that feeling of dread? Triple it.

"…which leads me to my next question…" Brian took out a small velvet box from his pocket and took a deep breath.

Getting really nervous, Rin frantically tried to think up of something to say to stop him from asking "the question." _Please someone, anyone, save me! I promise I'll never trick Inuyasha into pigging-out on ramen again!_

"Will you mar…"

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Sesshoumaru. His left hand was holding onto the doorknob, while in his right hand he was holding his jacket.

Rin was never happier to see Sesshoumaru right at that moment. _Yes! My knight in shinning armor! I love you, Lord!_ "No, you're not interrupting. Can I help you with something?" Rin asked smiling.

"I wanted to know if you like to have lunch with me…but if you want to speak to Brian first, then I'll just leave," said Sesshoumaru, as composed as ever. He started to turn and shut the door, when…

"WAIT!!!"

Sesshoumaru stopped and looked at Rin.

"I'll be more than happy to have lunch with you, Sesshoumaru-sama. You won't mind, right Brian?" Rin didn't even wait for Brian's answer, as she hurriedly grabbed her jacket and left with Sesshoumaru.

* * *

Dog Fight(s)

_First Prize: Former most sought after bachelorette of the Western Lands, both beautiful and intelligent Rin_

_Second Prize: Jealousy and hate that goes beyond all reason_

Sesshoumaru Brian

Score: 1 0

Round Two: NEXT!!!

Cat Fight(s)

_First Prize: President and founder of Inu of the West Corps and former Lord of the Western Lands Sesshoumaru_

_Second Prize: A fountain of tears_

Rin Asakusa

Score: 1 0

Round Two: Sometime in the future… (the far, far future :) )


	7. Getting Rid of a Few Problems

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Author's Notes: Ok, I know all of you are probably pretty upset with me now, but hey at least I finally put up a new chapter. I had a lot of finals, and I think I might have failed two of them. Please forgive me! I made this one extra long, so enjoy!

**WARNING: Mild language in the second to last section.

* * *

**

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 7: Getting Rid of a Few Problems

* * *

Okaasan = Mother Kawaii = Cute Ooi = Hey Oi = Nephew Konbanha = Good evening

* * *

Sesshoumaru was driving his black BMW convertible, concentrating on the road ahead… or so it seemed. Thinking back to the scene inside Rin's office, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. _Brian… Brian Kanata… So you desire Rin for your mate?_ His grip on the steering wheel tightened. _Not happening._

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" a soft, sweet voice asked.

Sesshoumaru glanced over to his right to see Rin looking at him with concern shinning from her beautiful eyes. Sesshoumaru set his gaze back on the road before answering. "It's nothing."

When he was just about to leave for lunch, Sesshoumaru heard muffled voices coming from a room that Sango had just left. The closed door didn't hinder his ability to hear the conversation going on inside. Apparently, Rin was undergoing an interrogation set by Brian. Sesshoumaru had some people look into Rin's background for him. He knew of her relationship with Brian; he also knew that she has been neglecting to see the boy. When Rin tried giving him subtle hints, it seemed the poor boy can be amazing thick. When he tried to propose to her, Sesshoumaru decided to intervene. He wasn't about to let Rin say "yes" to Brian… not that it was very likely, but…

He lost her once before; he wasn't going to lose her again.

He glanced at his right again. Rin was looking out the window, but her mind seemed to be focused elsewhere. The gentle breeze was softly playing with her hair, and her lips were ruby red. Her skin looked almost porcelain, and her dark eyes seemed to sparkle slightly, as she sank deeper into her dream world. Sesshoumaru had a distinct feeling that she wasn't wearing any lipstick or makeup. It was her natural beauty that he saw. Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze back to the road. The thought of someone taking Rin away from him irked him; it irked him more so when he wasn't exactly sure about her feelings on the matter.

Breaking the silence and Rin's train of thought, Sesshoumaru asked, "Will you say 'yes' to him?"

Rin quickly turned back to look at Sesshoumaru. His voice was soft when he questioned her, but she heard him all the same. Rin had been debating over what to do ever since they left the office. Her mind screamed, _No, of course I'm not going to marry him!_ But then again…

"I don't know. I never expected Brian to propose to me. I feel… so confused," Rin said softly, not looking at Sesshoumaru anymore.

Sesshoumaru looked at Rin through the corners of his eyes. "Are you happy with him?"

"Brian can be a bit boring, but he has his moments. He is a good friend, and I'm sure he'll make a good husband as well, but I'm not sure if he's the right one for me." Trying to explain, Rin continued, "You probably don't believe in soul mates, but I think there's someone out there for everyone. I just don't think Brian is _my_ soul mate."

"Then, there's your answer," Sesshoumaru said calmly. "And I do believe in soul mates."

Mouth slightly parted and with wide eyes, Rin stared at Sesshoumaru in shock. _Sesshoumaru__ doesn't seem to be the type that would believe in anything. He looks like a cold, emotionless type and definitely _not_ a romantic type. It seems there is more to him than I thought_, Rin contemplated with a smile.

"We're here."

* * *

Rin put her hands against the glass of the elevator and gazed at the beautiful view of Tokyo with childlike wonder. As they went higher, the people and buildings became smaller. However, she could still make out the small dots of cars driving on the roads, and the windows from the buildings were gleaming in the afternoon sun.

_It feels like I'm on top of the world!_ Rin thought, smiling.

Sesshoumaru looked at the young woman next to him. She was smiling like a child when presented with sweets. It was amusing to watch her, and it brought back old memories.

The elevator reached the top floor with a dull "ding."

They got out and went down an elaborate hallway. The floor was made out of smooth marble, while the ceiling was decorated with chandeliers. Beautiful, ornate banquets of flowers were put on small tables, scattered here and there. Heavy red curtains closed the sun from shinning into the room, making it appear dark and elegant.

_This is probably the kind of place where people can only come in evening gowns or tuxes._ Rin looked down at her clothing. She was wearing a white sleeveless shirt that went as high as her collarbone. Her black skirt was at her knees, and she had on a pair of one inch boots. She had on her wrist the Calvin Klein watch that Kagome bought for her birthday. _I hope this will do_, Rin thought, nervously.

A man in his mid-fifties was standing at the counter, looking through the list of reservations. He gave the impression of being an arrogant man with a mustache that gave a snotty twitch every once in a while. He was wearing the usual uniforms that the other waiters were required to wear only his was a bit fancier.

Not intimidated by anything, Sesshoumaru went up to the waiter. "We'd like a table for two."

Annoyed, the maître d' looked up and was about to give the person, that dared disturb him, a haughty remark, but then realized who it actually was. Smiling, the maître d' said, "Sesshoumaru-sama! It is a pleasure to see you again. I will lead you to your usual table."

The table they were led to had a blood red table cloth covering it. Flowers, put in small vases, and fragrant candles were placed in the middle of the table. Sesshoumaru and Rin took their seats, as the waiter handed them their menus. Not even looking at the menu, Sesshoumaru ordered his food and looked over at Rin. She was staring so hard at her menu, he was half afraid that she would burn a hole through it.

"Try the salmon," Sesshoumaru suggested.

Nodding, Rin gave the maître d' her order, and he left them at their table. Rin looked around the restaurant as they waited. _This place is so romantic. I wonder if Sessshoumaru took all his other "acquaints" here._ Rin couldn't help but get a bit jealous. Then again, she never heard much about Sesshoumaru getting involved with any woman before. _Didn't he say that he believed in soul mates? Is he waiting for her?_

"Rin?"

"Huh? What?" _I can't believe I spaced out like that. How rude I'm being! Not to mention how embarrassing!_ Blushing at bit, Rin said, "I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"I asked you if you have anything to wear to the business party tomorrow night. It's a formal occasion."

_The party! I forgot all about it!_ "Ano… Honestly, the closest thing I have to a fancy dress was something my okaasan gave to me on my twelfth birthday," Rin said, growing even redder.

"There's a mall below this restaurant, so you can probably find your dress here. We can go after we finish eating if you want," Sesshoumaru offered.

Although she didn't think she could afford anything here, Rin nodded. "Ano… Sesshoumaru-sama…"

Sesshoumaru interrupted quietly. "You can call me Sesshoumaru when we're not in the office, Rin," he said in almost a whisper.

Unsure, Rin voiced tentatively, "Ano… Sesshoumaru… this is kind of a personal question, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Rin waited to see if Sesshoumaru wanted her to stop. When he didn't, Rin inhaled and asked, "Are you waiting for your soul mate?"

Sesshoumaru stayed quiet, looking at the woman in front of her.

When Rin thought he wasn't going to answer her, he said softly, "No… I'm not waiting for my soul mate. I already found her."

Then, their orders came.

* * *

Rin shifted through the mountain of clothing just about ready to collapse. She never saw so many dresses in her life! She already tried on over thirty dresses, but her official judge, namely Sesshoumaru, didn't deem any one of them worthy for her.

_If he doesn't pick one soon, I'll KILL him!!!_ Rin thought. Usually one would find the men waiting for their women to pick out clothes. They would then be the bell-boy of the month for a day, carrying shopping bags instead of luggage. Rin found herself in a similar position, only she wasn't carry anything but wearing a lot. _I swear he's doing this just to torture me. I know it._ Almost despairingly, Rin went into the dressing rooms with another armful of dresses.

Sesshoumaru was standing near the dressing rooms when Rin came out shyly. He assessed her thoroughly. The strapped dress was white, made out of the finest silk. It clung to her curves, making her almost look seductive but with a strange aura of innocence only Rin could convey. The frail strap on each shoulder was the only thing holding the dress in place to cover her body. It made her neck and arms look slender and long. The dress covered her legs, as it flowed down to the floor. As she walked, one can see every movement of her legs under the dress. The dress also gave hints to certain parts of her body that men would long to touch. She looked breathtaking… and dressed to kill.

"Well?" Rin asked hesitantly.

"You look beautiful, Rin," Sesshoumaru said. _But something seems to be missing…_

Blushing a bit, her anger slowly dissipating, Rin said timidly, "Thank-you, Sesshoumaru."

The salesperson that had been assisting them exclaimed, "You look great, Rin-sama! I'm sure your girlfriend will be the envy of everyone at that party tonight, Sesshoumaru-sama! Will that be cash or credit card?"

Rin turned into a different shade of red with every passing sentence, becoming almost scarlet. _First, I feel like a wreck, so I probably don't look that great. Second, I am NOT Sesshoumaru's girlfriend! And finally third, HE IS SO NOT PAYING FOR ME!!!_

Ignoring Rin's obvious disapproval, Sesshoumaru said, "Credit card." As he went to pay for Rin's dress, he turned his head slightly and said, "Consider this a several months' advancement on your paycheck."

_WHAT?!_ Rin fumed as she watched his silently retreating back.

* * *

Still fuming, Rin blatantly tried to ignore Sesshoumaru. She _was_ still paying for the dress… in a way, and she didn't care much about money, but…

_ I do have loans to pay!_

_ You had a full scholarship to __Tokyo__University__._

_ I do have to support myself!_

_ What do you mean support yourself?! You're still living with your family!_

_ Mom and Souta are away on vacation, and Kagome has her own family to take care of!_

_ They don't mind, besides you've been eating everything that Kagome has been putting on the table for years, you parasite!_

_ UGH!!! Talking to myself is so frustrating! Not to mention creepy…_

_ You bet!_

_ UGH!!!_

Something caught her eye in a jewelry store. Getting closer, Rin noticed a beautiful necklace. It was simple yet elegant. There was a single, or what seemed to be, diamond heart on a thin silver chain. It sparked from the lights shinning on it. A rainbow of colors greeted Rin's eyes as she looked at it… then she looked at the price tag…

"What are you staring at?" Sesshoumaru asked, trying to get a glimpse over her shoulder.

"None of your business! Now, let's go! It's almost time to get back!" Rin said, shoving Sesshoumaru to the parking garage. _I don't need a couple of years' money taken away from me too!_

When they were almost at the garage, Sesshoumaru said, "Rin, I forgot I had to get something. Wait for me by the car."

"Ok. Hurry back," called Rin, as Sesshoumaru walked away. Rin went ahead to the garage, not knowing that a dark figure was trailing behind her.

* * *

She waited… and waited… and waited…

_I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!! WHERE IS HE?!?!?!?!_ Just when she was about to march back to the store, find him, then strangle him, she saw…

"Brian!"

…emerging from the shadows. "What are you doing here?!"

"I came to see you…" Rin backed away from Brian, sensing something was wrong. "But, I didn't expect to see this."

Confused, Rin inquired softly, "See what?"

"After you and Sesshoumaru left the office, I followed you," Brian said softly, stepping closer to Rin. "I saw the two of you enter the restaurant and the store. Since when did you start being Sesshoumaru's slut?!"

Rin backed into the railing, as Brian kept coming closer. _I have to find a way out of here!_ However, there was no way out. Rin was trapped between two cars, and she had reached a dead end. Unless, that is, she would prefer to jump, other than that there was no chance of escape. Rin looked down. The garage was at least five floors high. _I won't be able to make it!_

Grabbing Rin's wrist, Brian said furiously, "Answer me, you bitch! Was it when you saw how much you can get out of Sesshoumaru? His money, is that it?!"

"Brian, let go! You're hurting me!" Rin had dropped her shopping bag when Brian had her in his death grip; she was sure that she was going to get a bruise from it. _I have to get out of here!_

Disregarding her protests, Brian tightened his grip. "YOU BELONG TO NO ONE BUT ME!!!"

Raising his hand to strike her, Rin closed her eyes and used her other free hand to block him. But when nothing came, Rin slowly opened her eyes and saw…

_Sesshoumaru__! He's here!_ Sesshoumaru was holding Brian's arm with one hand, while the other one was in his pocket. _He looks… almost bored._

"What are you doing here, Brian?" demanded Sesshoumaru, annoyance evident in his voice.

Narrowing his eyes at him, Brian put his hand into his pocket and smiled maliciously. "Oh, nothing much. Just trying to get better acquainted with little Rin here."

Rin saw something shinning as the light caught it from Brian's pocket. "Sesshoumaru, look out! He's got a knife!"

But Rin didn't even have to yell out a warning. Sesshoumaru had punched Brian in the abdomen and thrown him over his shoulder using the hand that held him. Brian lay in a sprawled heap on the cement floor before he even knew what hit him.

"Shall we go?" Sesshoumaru asked, opening the car door for Rin.

* * *

Rin was clutching the shopping bag as if her life depended on it. She was still in shock, and it was a quiet drive back to the company. _I can't believe Brian tried to assault me…_ Glancing to her left, Rin looked at Sesshoumaru while he was driving. _But I'm glad he's here for me…_ Rin thought with a small smile on her face.

The car stopped, and they got out. Thinking that she would see the tall building again, Rin was surprised to see that they were near the shrine. _Sesshoumaru__ took me home?_

"You should get some rest for today. I'll just make sure you get inside your house safely, and I'll leave," explained Sesshoumaru.

Rin nodded, grateful for his consideration. They didn't have to walk far, and they were on the front steps of her house in no time. "Would you like to come in?" Rin offered, opening the door.

Sesshoumaru was about to decline, but then he caught a scent in the air. _This smell… I know this scent… Why is it so familiar?_

"Rin-chan!"

Sesshoumaru looked down to see small boy jumping up and down energetically. He had messy black hair and large innocent eyes. If Sesshoumaru wasn't so impassive, he might even say that the boy was kawaii.

"Ooi? Who is this, Rin-chan?" the boy asked, gazing up at the tall figure.

_Ooi__?_ Then, Sesshoumaru recognized the scent. He hadn't smelled it for centuries, but he would never forget it. _…Inuyasha…_ Looking down, Sesshoumaru added, _…and__ this is his brat._

"Keichi, this is Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru, this is Keichi, my oi."

"Konbanha, Sesshoumaru-san!"

Sesshoumaru eyed the smiling boy quietly. _Oi__?__ So, Rin is living with that hanyou and his mate, and apparently they're family. This should be interesting._ Sesshoumaru thought, smirking.

"Konbanha, Keichi. Where are your parents?" Sesshoumaru crouched down so he could be at eye level with the boy.

"They went out, but Keichi can take care of himself! Look, Keichi made ramen!" Keichi took Sesshoumaru by his hand and led him inside the kitchen. There was a steaming bowl of ramen on the table, but pots and pans were dumped in the sink and water was everywhere. The kitchen was a mess.

"You might be able to cook squirt, but you definitely can't clean," Rin said, shaking her head and sighing.

Keichi did what he did best in situations such as these… he used his deadly "no-one-can-resist-me" puppy dog eyes. "But I'm just a kid…" Keichi said innocently.

Rin looked at those big, round, innocent eyes of his and melted like she did every time he used it. _That kid can really manipulate you._ Rin thought. "Alright, go watch TV or something." Rin watched Keichi as he zoomed into the living room.

Getting up from his position, Sesshoumaru looked at Rin again. "It seems you have your work cut out for you. I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow night," Sesshoumaru said, heading out the house. When he was half way to his car, Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed lost in his thoughts. _It seems I should get a refund. Those idiots Jaken hired didn't even get all of Rin's basic background information._

Sesshoumaru had his back to Rin, so he didn't notice the shocked look on her face. _He just left me here to clean the dishes… alone?! That… that… THAT JERK!!!_ Stomping her foot on the cement floor, Rin grabbed a pan from the kitchen and threw it at him. She didn't even look to see if it hit him, as she slammed the door shut. But she had a feeling that she did…

"OUCH!!!"

* * *

6 PAGES! 6 PAGES PEOPLE!!! God, I'm so tired. I'll **_never_** write such a long chapter again! Well, hopefully not anyway. Ok, the next chapter will be…

**Chapter 8:** **The Business Engagement aka "Date"**

Be prepared for some fluff ahead! I'll give you another spoiler… there is going to be a kiss! Yes, finally Sess and Rin are going to kiss! Yay! Sadly for me, it **might** be as long as this chapter. Oh my God, I'm going to die!!!

Just in case I don't update in a month or something, which is very likely (Hey! I have lots to do over the summer! Just read my bio if you want to know more.), here are some stories you can read:

_ **Captive Soul**_ by **Rasberries**

**Story ID #:** 1308711

**Summary:** This is a slave fic. Yes a slave fic, staring none other than our two most favorite couple Sess and Rin! It's a great fanfic, and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

_ **Underneath It All**_ by **prettywithapistol**

**Story ID #:** 1049399

**Summary:** Let me tell you something. You have not read a true Sess/Rin fanfic without reading this one. It is the best there is! You have to read this! I just wish the authoress would update sooner. Then again, who am I to talk… I haven't updated for a whole month!

If you guys like the idea of me recommending Sess/Rin stories, then I'll post them. Just tell me what you think in your reviews. I'm also thinking about answering some of your reviews, since I have been neglecting to do that. So if you have any questions, put it in your reviews and I'll answer them. But if I do this, I might not be able to work on Chapter 8 and it'll come out late. It's your choice. I wanted to ask someone this random question and please answer (it has been plaguing me for weeks): How many human years are in one dog year?


	8. The Business Engagement aka Date

* * *

Author's Notes: **OVER 100 REVIEWS!!!** YAY!!! You guys are the best! Sorry for the delay, but if you want to know, my grandmother is going to be fine! I'm so relieved! I noticed that I forgot to put the disclaimer on the last chapter. Sorry about that. No one sued me, right? Well, the disclaimer in this chapter will be effective for both. With that said, let's go on with the story! 

Disclaimer: Nope. Inuyasha is still not mine, nor will it ever be. sigh By the way, for this chapter, the song _Truly, Madly, Deeply_ belongs to Savage Garden not me.

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 8: The Business Engagement aka "Date"

* * *

The shinning stars shone brightly under the shrine. The night was quiet, disturbed only by the rhythmic chirping of the crickets. A warm wind blew past, making the treetops sway slightly. From above, the full moon glowed in all of its luminous glory. All was right and calm in the world.

"KAGOME!!!" Inuyasha grumbled impatiently near the staircase.

When Keichi said that he wanted to sleep over at a friend's house nearby, Inuyasha and Kagome decided to have dinner at a restaurant, although they were tempted to stay at home. They wanted to get a glimpse of Rin's date, or as Rin had hotly dubbed him "jerk." She had briefly told them about going to a business party with someone, which immediately prompted her to mumble something about the "jerk not helping to clean the dishes." Inuyasha had cringingly thought Brain was taking Rin to this party, but he later scratched that idea. If her "jerk" had been Brain, he would have helped her clean the entire house, even without being asked to. _I wonder who it could be…_ Curiosity ate at him.

"Inuyasha?" a timid sound voiced.

Hearing his name being whispered so softly was like a gentle caress against his ears. He looked up to see Kagome standing at the foot of the stairs. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor. She was wearing a short, black dress that went up to mid-thigh. The straps for the dress were died in a bow at the base of her slender neck. Her hair was piled on top of her head, but a few tendrils escaped curling at her face and shoulders. The dress glimmered in the soft light, making it look as if she was a glowing angel. Slowly, she descended the steps to him.

"Inuyasha, how do I look?" Kagome asked again, turning around for him. If Inuyasha's reaction was any indication, she knew that she looked great, but the temptress inside her wanted to see her squirming husband try to form coherent words.

"Uh… ano…" Finding his collar extremely tight, he gave it a yank. _Kuso__! This baka collar is making my throat all dry!_ Inuyasha swallowed, which he reasoned was to help his dry throat, and most definitely _not_ because he was nervous. "You look… look… fine, Kagome." Inuyasha managed to say. "Shall we?" he asked, indicating his elbow with a small blush highlighting his cheeks.

Kagome grinned, took his elbow, and headed out the door. "If you think I look 'fine' as you put it, you should see Rin. She looks utterly beautiful," Kagome gushed. "But…" she giggled. "You should have seen her when she was getting ready…"

Inuyasha smiled in amusement. "Was it as bad as her first date?" he joked, opening the car door for her.

"No," Kagome replied casually. "It's worse."

* * *

The doorbell rang.

_That must be him…_ Rin thought, looking at the time. She checked her appearance again, before going down the stairs. Her hair had been piled on top of her head, with white, thin ribbons twined about it. When she was at the front door, Rin took a deep breath and exhaled. _Ok. Calm down, Rin. There's absolutely nothing to be nervous about… so what if the guy's hot, intelligent, and rich… you can handle any man that comes your way. Yeah, you can handle _any_ man._ With that thought firmly in mind and with renewed confidence, Rin opened the door…

and felt her confidence fall into near blissful oblivion…

Standing in front of her was not a man but a god… or demon. Clad in a sparkling, white suit and pants, Sesshoumaru stood at the doorway with his hands held behind his back. The suit showed off his broad shoulders, and despite the two layers of clothing, she could still make out the rippling muscles underneath.

Sesshoumaru leaned in closer to Rin…

_Is he going to kiss me?_ Rin thought, her heart pounding against chest, her breathing shallow.

"Like something you see?" Sesshoumaru asked, giving her a fiendish smirk, mischief shinning in his eyes.

Rin blushed a rosy red and diverted her eyes from him to the ground. _He's a demon…_ She peeked up again and saw his smirk grow wider, making her heart rate double from their already exhausting pace. Rin diverted her eyes yet again. _…definitely a demon…_ Rin thought, still growing redder.

Sesshoumaru straightened himself and produced a small box from behind his hands. "This is for you." Before Rin could argue, he opened the box and pulled out a thin, silver chain.

Rin gasped. _That's the same necklace I saw in the jewelry store!_ Rin stared at the beautiful, heart-shaped crystal in awe, as its rainbow colors reflected off in different directions from the faint light.

When Sesshoumaru left Rin at the mall the other day, he had "forgotten" to buy the necklace for her. It fit her like the missing piece of a puzzle – they were made for one another. As he reached to secure the necklace, his hands went around her neck, encompassing her in his warm embrace. He had to lower his head as well, taking the opportunity to inhale Rin's sweet scent of flowers mixed with sunshine.

Rin could feel his breath on her neck. She closed her eyes against the serge longing she felt. His breath continued their course leaving her neck and traveling up towards her cheek to her ear. "Do you like it?" Sesshoumaru gently whispered.

Rin wasn't even sure what he meant – the crystal or his breath being so intimately close to her. It didn't matter. There was only one answer to both cases. Slowly opening her eyes, Rin breathlessly answered, "Of course, I love it."

Sesshoumaru straightened himself again; knowing if he any stayed longer, there could be dire consequences. "There is something else I must give you as well," Sesshoumaru said. The amusement in his eyes replaced his earlier dark filled gaze. He tenderly held Rin's hand in his and led her to his car.

Despite her already fluttering heart, Rin managed to say, "You really shouldn't waste so much money on me. I don't really need anything."

"I'm not. It was yours to begin with."

Confused by his cryptic answer, Rin frowned at his back. Before she could question him, he placed the second "gift" on her hand. Rin blushed. "Oh… that," Rin laughed nervously.

Sesshoumaru had placed the pan she had thrown at him on her hand.

* * *

When they finally arrived at the mansion, it was enough time for Rin to get extremely nervous and very near hysterical. She could already see the reporters and cameras greeting them by the entrance. In all actuality, it looked more like a mob.

Sesshoumaru got out of the car, while a valet took the keys from him. Rin followed behind Sesshoumaru; the mob of reporters following her.

"Miss, are you with Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"How long have you two known each other?"

"Have you and Sesshoumaru-sama ever been intimate?"

Rin blushed profusely. Sesshoumaru held her hand tightly in his and led her through the mob, ignoring the questions thrown at him and Rin.

They entered, miraculously, in one piece.

* * *

"Well, we made it." Sesshoumaru had taken them inside the ballroom, making sure no one saw them and hiding out in a dark corner.

"Yeah, that was scary," Rin said shakily. She was still blushing, but she was grateful that Sesshoumaru had taken them away from prying eyes. She needed some time to have her blush cool down.

Sesshoumaru cupped her face with the palm of his right hand, his other holding her shoulder. He lightly ran his thumb across her cheek, curling his hand and caressing her face. His hand stopped at her chin. Gently, he took her chin in his hand and tilted her head until soft, brown eyes met his.

"You really look beautiful when you blush," Sesshoumaru said thoughtfully. "Did you know that?" Cautiously, Sesshoumaru slowly inched toward her.

"N – no… I didn't know that." Rin felt her cheeks flaring up again, if that was even possible. _He's so close…_

"Did you know that I wanted to kiss you… every time when I looked at you?" Sesshoumaru asked seductively. His demon blood surged through his veins like a flood. He felt as reckless as a young pup experiencing his first taste of desire. He was out of practice. Too long had he lived without Rin. Too long had he felt no desire for anyone but Rin. However, now that she's here… and very much alive… there's no stopping his demonic instincts… He didn't want to…

"N – n – no…" Rin felt Sesshoumaru's hand move from her shoulder to her waist, pulling her closer to his body until her hands rested against his chest. _I can feel his breath on my face now… He's so close…_ she thought, languidly closing her eyes.

"Really? Let me show you then…" Sesshoumaru softly brushed his lips against hers – nothing more than a mingling of breaths. His demon blood needed more… _He_ needed more. He closed his eyes as well, having every intention to deepen their kiss… until…

"WOULD YOU KISS HER ALREADY?!"

Rin jumped out of Sesshoumaru's embrace, fully flushed now, suddenly finding the marbled floor to be very interesting. Her plan to cool down in the darkness had backfired. Her blush was quickly turning into bonfire.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, glared at their perpetrator. "Miroku…" he growled.

Miroku, sensing the dangerous aura Sesshoumaru was giving off, wisely planned his escape. Scratching his head a bit for effect and laughing nervously, he said, "Hi, guys! Uh… guess you want to be left alone, don't you?"

If looks could kill, Miroku would never be reincarnated _ever_ again. Sesshoumaru wasn't angry… He was down right furious…

Laughing even more nervously, Miroku took a step back. He was about to make a run for the exits, until Sango gave him a large whack on the head. "Of course they want to be left alone, you hentai! Now, look at what you've done! You've _ruined_ the moment!"

Rin, who was looking at the floor the whole time, saw Miroku sprawled out on the floor. He looked like he was knocked out cold. Rin looked up to see Sango with Shippo next to her.

Sango took Rin's hand. "Gomen, Rin. Come on, I'll make it up to you with some punch." Both women stepped gracefully on Miroku, making their way to the refreshment table.

Seconds later, Miroku was up and on his feet again, rubbing the bulging bump on his head. "So, where have the all women gone?" Miroku asked, sitting on the floor with a grin plastered on his face.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Shippo pointed to the table across the ballroom. Miroku immediately headed over. Shippo stayed by Sesshoumaru's side. "Why did you ever promote him to CEO in the first place?" Shippo questioned Sesshoumaru.

"For one thing, it wasn't for his impeccable timing…"

A loud slap was heard, followed by the simultaneous yelling of: "HENTAI!!!"

"…or his way with women," Sesshoumaru sighed, echoed by Shippo.

* * *

The ballroom was exquisite, Rin later reflected. The room was bathed in candlelight, illuminating some places, hiding others in darkness. The tables held a variety of dishes from across the world. Some couples were dancing to the music. Others engaged in conversation with prospective business associates. However, Rin couldn't locate a certain tall, silver haired _demon_ among them… her demon.

Another song started playing; it was one of her favorites.

"May I have this dance?" someone asked behind her.

Rin turned to see Sesshoumaru holding his hand out to her. She smiled. "I would love to Sesshoumaru-sama."

Rin placed her smaller hand in his. His fingers curled around her slender hand, as he placed it in the crook of his elbow and led her to the middle of the dance floor. His hands encircled her waist, as hers went around his neck. Soon they began to sway, lost in the other's eyes.

**.:. _I'll be your dream I'll be your wish _.:.  
.:. _I'll be your fantasy _.:.  
.:. _I'll be your hope I'll be your love _.:.  
.:. _Be everything that you need _.:.  
.:. _I'll love you more with every breath _.:.  
.:. _Truly, madly, deeply do _.:.  
.:._ I will be strong I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on _.:.**

**.:. _A new beginning _.:.  
.:. _A reason for living _.:.  
.:. _A deeper meaning _.:.**

Sesshoumaru found himself captivated. Her eyes captured him… and his heart. She was his past, present, and future. The past was bleak; the present wonderful; the future hopeful. _She is… my everything_, Sesshoumaru thought in awe. Even after so many centuries, he still had a hard time coping with how thoroughly this young, human girl had captured his heart.

_ A future with Rin…?_ Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl in his arms. She openly smiled back at him. The soft candlelight danced across her face, making her smooth skin faintly glow. _Their children will be hanyou… just like Inuyasha._ Sesshoumaru frowned at the thought. _Rin__ is human… but, I've always thought of her as… Rin. Perhaps, I will also think of our children not as hanyous… but as creations that resulted from…_ He was still unwilling to say it – for he feared it and what it could do to him should she or should she not refuse him. _…that feeling…__ Rin and I share for each other. Perhaps…_

_Can I lose her again?_ The answer was simple. He didn't even have to think about it. He had lived for centuries without her by his side. Physically, nothing would change, but… _No. I can not lose her again. I _will_ not lose her again._

Instinctively, Sesshoumaru pulled Rin closer. Her eyes were wide with surprise, but she dreamily closed them as her head fell on his right shoulder, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She rubbed her face against his and sighed contentedly.

**.:. _I want to stand with you on a mountain _.:.  
.:. _I want to bathe with you in the sea _.:.  
.:. _I want to lay like this forever _.:.  
.:. _Until the sky falls down on me _.:.**

Rin wanted Sesshoumaru to always be with her, to hold her, and to love her. _He's with me now, and he's holding me, but… does he love me?_

Rin was started out of her thoughts when she felt him shift slightly. She opened her eyes and lifted her head off Sesshoumaru's shoulder to see Asakura walking up to them. "Oh, excuse me, Rin, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take Sesshoumaru-sama away from you." With that Asakura didn't spare Rin another glance, as she concentrated on the handsome man in front of her. "Sesshoumaru-sama, my father wishes to speak with you – It's urgent."

His face as passive as ever was in place. "Very well. Please, excuse me, Rin," Sesshoumaru said not looking at her as he removed himself from Rin's grasp. Asakura then took hold of his elbow, leading him towards her father.

Rin looked at the pair sadly, with a strange twist in her heart. _I guess not everyone gets what they want in the end._

**.:. _And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky, _.:.  
.:. _I'll make a wish to send it to heaven _.:.  
.:. _Then make you want to cry _.:.**

The stars were shinning beautifully in the dark sky. Under the celestial fireflies, a young woman was sitting on a bench not too far from the tide. Her shoes were carelessly thrown beside her feet.

Sesshoumaru walked up to her. "Why are you out here?"

Chocolate brown eyes stared up at him. "Miroku and Sango left hours ago, and I wanted to be by myself for a while," Rin said, her eyes downcast now.

"Do you want me to leave?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

"No." Rin shook her head earnestly. "Please stay with me."

Her words seemed to be asking him about something more and not merely just keeping her company for tonight; because of that, he stayed. Sesshoumaru sat beside her on the bench, taking in the blissful darkness and the quiet tranquility of the ocean. A shooting star streaked through the night sky. He noticed Rin had closed her eyes.

"What did you wish for?" Sesshoumaru softly whispered.

With her eyes still closed, Rin secretly smiled. Turning to him, she opened her eyes again. "I can't tell you. If I tell you, then my wish won't come true."

Nodding slightly, Sesshoumaru turned back to gaze at the stars.

**.:. _The tears of joy for all the pleasure in the certainty _.:.  
.:. _That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection of _.:.  
.:. _The highest powers _.:.  
.:. _In lonely hours _.:.  
.:. _The tears devour you _.:.**

Standing up from the bench, Sesshoumaru turned to face Rin. With his hand outstretched, Sesshoumaru asked, "Shall we continue what we started earlier?"

Rin smiled at him once more and took his hand. "I would love to."

This time, Rin laid her head on his shoulder without a second thought, as she swayed gently with the music once again in Sesshoumaru's warm embrace. _I never want to let him go. But if he loves someone else, even someone like Asakura, I will leave him and pray that he will be happy, although I can't say that I'll ever be happy again._ Rin hugged Sesshoumaru closer to her.

"Rin?"

"Yes…?" Rin asked hesitantly. _Please don't ask me to let go…_

Tenderly, Sesshoumaru whispered into her ear, "I'll never leave you."

Rin smiled through the tears that threatened to fall and hung onto him as if her life depended on it – and in a way, it did. "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru," Rin whispered to him. _This is going so fast, but it feels like we've known each other forever and it's going too slow at the same time. It feels like so much time was wasted between us… even longer than an eternity. I feel so strange when I'm around him. Is this love?_

Sesshoumaru was also facing another inner battle. He was very much aware how close Rin was to him. She might as well have been molded to him. He loved the feel of her chest was pressed tightly against his, and the way her other… parts… formed to his body was _very_ pleasant. His demon blood surged once more. _Taste her… Just one kiss, what harm can be done? Taste her…_ his mind screamed, but he knew that one kiss was enough to… He growled softly, so low was it that even Rin couldn't hear. While the battle waged on in his head, Sesshoumaru quickly looked for a distraction.

**.:. _I want to stand with you on a mountain _.:.  
.:. _I want to bathe with you in the sea _.:.  
.:._ I want to lay like this forever _.:.  
.:. _Until the sky falls down on me _.:.**

Rin was peacefully swaying with Sesshoumaru when it happened. She never got a chance.

"AHHH!!!" Rin screamed, as she fell into the water with a loud splash. She got up, not too long afterwards, soaked to the bone. The cause of all her misery: Sesshoumaru.

"So…" Sesshoumaru smirked. "Enjoying your bath?"  
_I'll give HIM a bath!!!_ Rin thought, planning painful retribution. "Ahh… I think I sprained my ankle. Sesshoumaru, help me… please," Rin said, trying her best to sound pained.

Worried, Sesshoumaru took off his jacket, before rushing into the water. "I'm coming, Rin."

_Yes, he went for the bait!_ When Sesshoumaru got close enough, she tripped him with her leg and pushed him into the water. With his demonic reflexes, Sesshoumaru grabbed Rin's wrist at the last second, sending both of them crashing into the waves.

The tide had carried them near the shore, and there they emerged. Sesshoumaru lay beneath Rin, her palm resting against his chest. She was laughing like a child. She could barely catch her breath between her fits of giggles. "You… should have… seen… the look… on your face… when I… tripped you… You looked so funny!" Rin said, still laughing.

**.:. _Oh can you see it baby? _.:.  
.:. _You don't have to close your eyes _.:.  
.:. _'Cause it's standing right here before you _.:.  
.:. _All that you need will surely come _.:.**

Sesshoumaru stroked her face. "Rin."

Her name and his soft touch was enough for Rin to realize the position they were in. She was on top of him, her palm on his shirt, which was soaked. She could clearly see his form now. The water made his shirt seem sheer… and undoubtedly her dress probably looked the same to him as well. Rin held in her breath, not daring to breathe.

Sesshoumaru inwardly groaned. When he had dumped Rin into the water, he was trying to distract himself from the way her body felt against him. It worked… to a degree. He _was_ distracted… only now he wanted her even more. The dress had molded to her figure, and the pure sheerness of the dress left nothing to the imagination. He had to taste her… _now…_

Rin felt the world fading as Sesshoumaru pulled her closer to him. His face was merely inches away from hers. Rin's heart lounged in her throat. _Is he going to kiss me this time?_ Rin thought. She was quickly answered with Sesshoumaru's lips gently brushing against hers in a series of butterfly kisses.

Sesshoumaru wanted to keep a slow pace, but that soon proved impossible when both their bodies demanded for more. The sweet, innocent kiss became a passionate exchange. Rin's lips parted slightly in a breathy sigh, which quickly became a moan as Sesshoumaru delved into the warmth of her mouth. Sesshoumaru placed his right hand on her head holding it in place, while his left held her waist. Sesshoumaru angled his head, simultaneously turning their bodies. _I have to stop. I _need _to stop, before anything else happens. _ With Rin under him, his hands went to cup Rin's face caressing her. Reluctantly, his lips left hers.

**.:. _I'll be your dream I'll be your wish _.:.  
.:. _I'll be your fantasy _.:.  
.:. _I'll be your hope I'll be your love _.:.  
.:. _Be everything that you need _.:.  
.:. _I'll love you more with every breath _.:.  
.:. _Truly, madly, deeply do _.:.**

With passion filled eyes, Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru. At that moment, she knew. She knew, without a doubt, that she was in love with Sesshoumaru. When she had made a wish on the shooting star, she didn't wish for his love. She wanted Sesshoumaru to willingly give her his love, even though she was sure that the wish wouldn't work anyway. But her wish did come true, she wished for a kiss, and she found her soul mate as well. _He is… my everything._

**.:. _I want to stand with you on a mountain _.:.  
.:. _I want to bathe with you in the sea _.:.  
.:._ I want to lay like this forever _.:.  
.:._ Until the sky falls down on me _.:.**

Still caressing her face, Sesshoumaru questioned her, "Rin? Are you ready to go back yet?"

Rin nodded, smiling contentedly.

They got up and dusted themselves off. Sesshoumaru gave Rin his white jacket to protect her from the cool breeze. It was past midnight, before they finally left. The drive back to the shrine was a quiet one.

Before Sesshoumaru left her, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Good night, Rin."

"Good night, Sesshoumaru," Rin said, softly closing the door behind her. Once the door was closed, Rin leaned against it and sighed. Lifting the collar of his jacket to her face, she smelled his musky scent on it. Rin sighed again, before finally changing and going to bed.

* * *

Unbeknownst to them, two pairs of eyes saw their whole exchange…

**

* * *

**

**8 PAGES!!!** I have officially hit my all record high – even my English thesis wasn't as long as this. Ugh! I'm so tired! Did you know that I stayed up the whole day and night to finish this? I really don't feel like editing this, so if I make any spelling/grammatical mistakes, please forgive me! I started writing this on Sept. 6, 2003 somewhere around 10:30 am until now, which is 6:16 am on Sept. 7, 2003. Yup, I'm crazy alright. I felt guilty that I took so long to update. See that's where those reviews count. I **hate **my conscious. Sorry guys, but no posting other Sess/Rin stories this time. I'm so tired! Honestly, I didn't get any sleep today, and I still have an English essay to write, history homework to do, and chemistry notes to take. Won't you guys please review? I worked WAY beyond overtime for this chapter. Pretty please?


	9. Confusion and Suspicion

* * *

Author's Notes: Hi everyone! You didn't expect to see me _ever_ again, right? I really didn't expect to update, but I felt so guilty that I haven't updated for so long. I think it has been about **five months** since I last updated?! Wow! That's a long time! Anyways enjoy!

Disclaimer: To own Inuyasha or to not own Inuyasha: that is the question. Answer: I don't!

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 9: Confusion and Suspicion

* * *

[beep] [beep] [beep]

_Baka__ alarm clock,_ Rin thought, groggily hitting the snooze button and falling back on the bed. _I was having such a nice dream too…_

A midnight black sky filled with glittering stars pervaded her dreams. Underneath the heavens were two mortals, dancing away into the night. They danced into oblivion.

Sesshoumaru was holding her tightly, pulling her even closer even though it would never be close enough… for both of them. Feelings of safety and security came to her in a flood. She lifted her head gently off his shoulder and gazed deeply into his golden eyes. Normally cold and indifferent eyes stared back into her endless pools, which reflected a love as deep as an ocean. Then, almost unexpectedly, Sesshoumaru drew close and kissed her senseless.

Rin sighed, snuggling into her pillow. _Had that really been just a dream… or did it really happen?_ Rin sighed dreamily again. _Sesshoumaru__…_

With hooded eyes, Rin lazily glanced at her alarm clock.

Her eyes grew wide. She quickly sat up and rubbed her eyes furiously, making sure that what she was seeing was not a hallucination. Her eyes grew yet again, before she screamed…

"AHHH!!! I'M LATE FOR WORK!!!"

* * *

"WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE WAKE ME UP?!" Rin yelled, as she was running down the stairs.

_I know I'm being childish, and it really is my responsibility, but… WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE WAKE ME UP?!_

When she reached the door, she yelled back, "Gotta go! I'll see you after work!" Rin was just about to open the door, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Rin," Kagome said from behind her. Her voice was filled with worry, concern, and… confusion. "Please stay a little while. Inuyasha…" Kagome stared at her husband. He still held his chopsticks with one hand just halfway from his open mouth, which was likely to catch flies. His gaze was riveted on the newspaper in his hand. "…and I would like to speak to you about something," finished Kagome.

"What is it?" Rin asked. Kagome's worry was contagious, and Rin feared what she had to say her. She sat down on the couch, as Kagome sat from across her.

"Rin, last night… were you with a man named Sesshoumaru?

Out of the corners of her eyes, Rin saw Inuyasha flinch at the name. Hesitantly, Rin said, "Y – Yes. He's my boss, and he asked me to go with him to the party. "

"NANI?!" Inuyasha yelled, stomping towards the pair. "ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WORK FOR THAT EVIL, ARROGRANT – "

"What Inuyasha is _trying_ to say is… Sesshoumaru is a very dangerous man." Rin wanted to protest, but Kagome held up a hand to silence her. "When is your internship going to end?"

"At least half a year or so," replied Rin with a frown. _What is it about Sesshoumaru that they know, when I don't._

Kagome sighed, massaging her temples. "This is bad. Anything can happen in six months," Kagome sighed again.

"Kagome… Inuyasha… What is it about Sesshoumaru that you wouldn't approve of?" Rin was confused, but she also felt dejected. _What's wrong with Sesshoumaru? Granted he looks cold on the outside, but that's not how he really is._

"Rin…" Kagome could tell that the subject was disturbing her greatly, so she decided to end it. "Rin, just promise me that you will be careful when you're around him. If possible, avoid him at all costs." Kagome glanced at the clock. "Now, you have to get going. You don't want to be _too_ late," Kagome said, ushering her out the door.

"NANI?! YOU'RE LETTING HER GO TO HIM?! AFTER ALL HE'S DONE?!"

Rin left the shrine feeling confused and forlorn. _What did Sesshoumaru do to Inuyasha and Kagome?_

* * *

Rin was still thinking about what happened earlier. She didn't even notice a very worried Sango walk up to her. Rin blinked, "Nani?"

"Rin, where were you? Why are you so late?"

Rin gave Sango a timid smile. "Gomen, Sango, demo… I overslept today."

"This isn't good," Sango said nervously. "Brain was late a couple of days ago too."

At the mention of Brain's name, Rin listened carefully. "What about him?"

"Well, on your first day at work, Brain went out. I think for lunch," Sango added. "Anyways, he came back way later after lunch break, holding onto his stomach. It looked like he was beaten up pretty badly. Sesshoumaru-sama told him to step into his office, and the next thing we knew: He was packing his things. Apparently, Sesshoumaru-sama fired him."

"Why?" Rin asked, although she had a pretty good idea.

_Was it because of what he did to me back at the mall?_

"No one knows."

Sango looked at Rin and saw how worried she looked. Misinterpreting her look, Sango tried reassuring her. "But don't worry about it Rin. Sesshoumaru-sama won't fire you, especially not after what happened last night. I'm sure it was a very _tiring_ experience," Sango said. Her earlier frown was replaced with a huge grin.

Rin blushed and feigned ignorance. "I – I – don't know what you're talking about," Rin said, nervously. _How did she know? For that matter, how did Inuyasha and Kagome know?_

"Well…" Sango started. The grin was still plastered on her face. She turned and took a newspaper from a group of equally "Sango grinning" women surrounding them.

_Where did all these people come from?_ Rin thought. _And why are they smiling like that?!_

Sango held the newspaper in front of her for Rin to see. "Pictures don't lie."

Rin turned five shades of red. The front cover read **_Billionaire Bachelor Sesshoumaru Seduces Innocent Virgin?!_** Followed by pictures of none other than herself and Sesshoumaru… on the beach… dancing… and then kissing…

Giggles could be heard all around, and Rin was too red to be considered healthy.

"So…" Sango said cockily. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Before Rin could embarrass herself further by stuttering, she was saved by a man's voice. "Excuse me, but are you Miss Rin Higurashi?"

"Yes, I am."

"Here you go – a dozen red roses. Sign here please."

The man left, leaving a bewildered Rin behind. _Roses? Who would send me roses?_ Rin found a card and read it. There was only one simple sentence written on it. _I'll never leave you._ Her eyes grew wide._ Sesshoumaru?_

Someone cleared their throat behind them. "Shouldn't all of you be getting back to work?"

Everyone turned to see…

…the indifferent face of Sesshoumaru. They got back to their desks without another word, leaving Rin to stand in front of the stoic Sesshoumaru. "Rin, come with me."

Rin trailed behind him, still holding the flowers and nervously wondering where he was going to take her.

* * *

A spacious, beautiful room greeted her eyes as Rin stepped into Sesshoumaru's office for the first time. Nearly half of the room was encased by large windows, over looking the beautiful city of Tokyo. His desk, with neatly stacked files and papers, was situated in front of the windows in the middle of the room. To the left, a bar could be seen with shelves of the finest wine money could buy. On the right, there was a sitting room furnished with three black, leather couches and a small desk.

_His office looks nice, but it lacks… life to it,_ Rin thought. _The light from the windows bring some life to the room, but it's still missing something. Maybe some plants… or perhaps some flowers…_

Hearing the door close, Rin stopped her examination of the room. Eager to get the whole ordeal over with, Rin asked, "Is there something you want to speak to me about Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes, there is something. Have a seat," Sesshoumaru said, gesturing to the seat in front of his chair.

Anxiously, Rin sat and waited for him to continue as he sat down as well.

"As you have learned from the meeting, I plan to take a trip to Hong Kong as soon as possible. I will most likely leave this afternoon. I also plan to take Shippo, Miroku, and Asakura with me on this trip. As an intern, you are also allowed to come with me."

Rin stared at Sesshoumaru gaping.

"I understand that this is short notice, so I will not hold it against you should you choose not to come. However…" Sesshoumaru eyed Rin carefully. "I assure you: It will be an enriching experience."

_ For both of us,_ Sesshoumaru thought.

"Will you come?"

_IS HE JOKING?! Why would I miss this chance of a lifetime?! OF COURSE, I'M GOING!_ Before Rin had a chance to say something along the lines of "Hell, yes!" she thought about what Kagome said to her earlier.

_Sesshoumaru__ is a very dangerous man, Rin…_

_ …be careful when you're around him…_

_ …avoid him at all costs._

Rin bit her lip worriedly. _Kagome _must_ have some _very _good reasons for me to avoid Sesshoumaru, but… _Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru, who was still waiting for an answer. She looked straight into his eyes. _…why would he save me from Brain then? Was he just trying to gain my trust? Ugh! This is so confusing!_ Rin mentally shook her head. _The bottom line is this: This is a chance of a lifetime. I _will _go. I _have to _go. Besides if Sesshoumaru really _is _dangerous, he wouldn't do anything to me with everyone else here…_

Rin nodded and said, "Hai. I will go."

"Good. We will meet at the airport. Depending upon the situation, we might be there for over a month. You should go home and start packing now," Sesshoumaru said, indicating the door thus signaling the end of their discussion.

Rin rose and was just about to leave before she realized that she still had the roses. Suddenly feeling sad, Rin placed them on Sesshoumaru's desk. _I shouldn't keep these. It feels so wrong for me to keep them when I suspect him._

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm sorry, but I think you should take these back…" Hesitantly, Rin added, "I cannot accept them."

_ I cannot accept your love,_ Rin thought, holding back tears for rejecting him… for things that could have been.

Sesshoumaru looked up at Rin and then at the roses themselves. Slowly, Sesshoumaru looked up at Rin again. Without a hint of emotion in his voice or a shadow on his face, he said, "I never gave you red roses."

* * *

Well, that's it for now. I actually planned to write more, but then that would take even longer for me to update. Till next time!

P.S. If you want to check the status on my stories, look at my "Profile Page." Just click on Angel64 in blue near the top right hand corner.

P.S.S. Does anyone know if the profile page supports html format? I don't know how to make some letter look bold, centered, etc. Can anyone help me?

**Sess/Rin**** Story Recommendations:**

**_Soul Mates_** by **Shadow Heart**

**Story ID #:** 1548667

**Summary:** There are some sexual references in this story, but it's not extremely descriptive. This story has some very interesting and original ideas, and some parts are very detailed. The second chapter ends with a startling discovery, but you'll just have to read to find out!

**Kuro**** Neko-Sama's Fanfiction** **[Lemon]**

Website Info: This is a great website for Sess/Rin fans, but be warned: all of these stories are lemons, which means they contain sexual content. There are some Inu/Kag and Mir/San fics there as well. There are lots of pictures based and not based on the stories. I know Kuro Neko-sama has an account in Fanfiction.Net (penname: KuroNeko-Sama2), so go to her profile page and click on her homepage website. (For some reason I can't post the web address here.) The stories posted at FF.Net do not contain sexual content.

**_Demon Nature_** **[Lemon]**

(Thank-you, **Karasu**, for giving me the website for this fic. I did read this story on Adultfanfiction.Net once, but the author never finished posting.)

Website Info: To go to this website, go to the review page for _Fragile _Heart. Find the review **Karasu **posted for Chapter 7, and you should see the website there (remember to put "www"). Once you go to this website, there will be a Sess/Rin story there called _Demon Nature_. It gives us a somewhat dark version of Sesshoumaru and Rin. It deals with Sesshoumaru trying to secure lands for his children by defeating other lords. It's a power struggle mixed in with politics and some Sess/Rin romance. It's not as sappy as my fanfic, and it's a very good story.

**Review Responses:**

**Aj-sama** One set of those eyes belonged to the newspaper reporter who wrote that story… and that's all I'm going to say for now!

**MintlovesSR** I just wanted to say that you've been an awesome reviewer. I loved getting your emails and reviews. By the way when I received your "Chinese email" it came out in weird letters like what happened with the review.

**LSR-7 **I'm glad someone noticed. I _was_ trying to hint that the two pairs of eyes were actually Inuyasha and Kagome, but they're not!

**inuflames** Sorry for my late update! I guess I should be thankful that I'm still alive. Sorry again, but I don't think I will write a lemon for this story. I just… [blush] …can't write a lemon. [blush] I wouldn't know… where to… start. [Rin's definitely-not- healthy blush]

**kirayasha**** aka kira** Thank-you for asking. Yes, my grandmother is a lot better now. She is kind of lonely though, because she just moved to this new place that feels like a nursing home to her.

**Super Buu** I probably wouldn't delete my fanfic. When I posted that on the Author's Note of my first chapter, I suppose I was still young. Back then, I was so worried that no one would review at all, so that's why it's up there.

**Shadow Heart** Yup, I agree. I can't believe how bad some of these fanfics are with their grammar and everything. By the way, I not in college yet, but I will be in a couple more months. I'm still a senior in high school.

**Lady Youkai** I know. Even _I_ hate it when people start asking for reviews (well, unless they ask nicely and they deserve it), but what can I say: I was young. This was my first fanfic, and I was worried no one would like it.

**milacute04** The only reason that some people reviewed for chapter 9 is because I deleted my Author's Note for chapter 8. Since FF.Net didn't want a whole chapter based on an Author's Note (they would delete the story), I had to take it off. Don't worry! You didn't miss anything!

**Dreaming One **Sesshoumaru waited until Rin was reborn, but Inuyasha went with Kagome to the future. He also became human for her. Miroku and Sango got married, had kids, and died. They are reborn in my story. As for Shippo, I'm still thinking about how he met up with Sesshoumaru.

**JadeGoddess** Half right…

**Thank-you to all who reviewed!**

Please don't be offended if I don't post your penname or respond to your review. If I respond to everyone, it would probably take up too much space. Gomen!


	10. Rin's Reflections

* * *

Author's Notes: Umm… hehehe… well, I **am** sorry that I took so long to update, but I was really busy. It _is_ my senior year in high school after all, and I'll be graduating this week, Sunday, June 6th. This chapter is _very_ short, but better this than nothing, right? 

Disclaimer: looks at checking account Nope. Not rich yet. Guess that means I don't own _Inuyasha_.

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 10: Rin's Reflections

* * *

Placing down her luggage next to her, Rin sat on one of the many chairs in the airport and sighed.

Luckily no one was home when she went back to pack. She had been dreading the confrontation the whole time she was driving back to the house. After slowly opening the door and meekly sticking her head into the house, she found no one there. Mentally thanking Kami-sama, she wrote a brief message telling Kagome and Inuyasha where she was going and promised to call as soon as she got settled down.

Rin regretted making that promise now. Kagome and, by the looks of things, especially Inuyasha would be furious with her. That led to Rin thinking about why they would be upset.

_Sesshoumaru__… Why do Inuyasha and Kagome hate you so much?_ Rin asked herself for what seemed to be the millionth time that afternoon. Rin gasped as realization hit her. _I don't know a thing about Sesshoumaru except that he's my boss. The things about him in the news were very limited too._ Sesshoumaru is a very private man after all. _I kissed a total stranger that night… That beautiful night… was just lust?_

Rin had some experience in that area with her previous boyfriends, and it never lasted long after the first kiss. Brian, she supposed, was one such example. She didn't want her relationship with Sesshoumaru to only be a passing fancy, something to be forgotten. She wanted a solid relationship with Sesshoumaru. For some indescribable reason, Rin knew that he was the one… but he might not think that way. There is Asakura…

_I felt so… insecure when he left with Asakura… They looked like… a beautiful… couple…_

Rin paused in her reflections to look down at her lap. She clenched her fists tightly as she recalled how some of the other guests at the party kept talking about what a wonderful match they would make. The daughter of a multi-enterprise corporation and a multi-billionaire bachelor married in holy matrimony. Such a business transaction would be beneficial for both sides.

_Ok, Rin, get a hold of yourself. This is not like you. You never fail to grab an opportunity when one presents itself. This trip is a great way to solidify your relationship with Sesshoumaru._

_ Besides, he likes you a lot better than that _thing_, which calls itself Asakura._

For once, during her whole trip to the airport, Rin smiled. _I guess my inner voice can be quite helpful sometimes._

Rin's smile was still in place as she held her head up high. However, it disappeared so fast that no one would have guessed it existed for that millisecond. There in front of her, the revolving doors of the Tokyo airport revealed the objects of her thoughts. Sesshoumaru and Asakura were talking to each other, and, of course, they looked great together.

* * *

[ducks under random things, which includes lettuce, chairs, a _very_ hard bowling ball, etc.] Please, "lend me your ears." (_Julius Caesar_, Shakespeare) As I said in my Author's Note, this would be a short chapter (minus my Author's Note and end remarks the story in itself would be about one page on my Microsoft Word processor). I did plan on writing more, but you guys would have to wait longer, and I already made you guys wait for about four months. I **promise** that the next chapter would be out a lot sooner than before… at most maybe one month… maybe two… three? [ducks under flying objects again]

**Sess/Rin**** Story Recommendations**

Because my instructions to find the web sites I recommended might be confusing, here they are again (please excuse the hyphens [-]; for some reason I just can't directly post web site addresses):

**Kuro**** Neko-Sama's Fanfiction [Lemon]**

h-t-t-p-:-/-/-w-w-w-.-k-u-r-o-n-e-k-o-s-a-m-a-.-c-o-m-/-i-n-d-e-x-.-h-t-m-l

**_Demon Nature_ [Lemon]**

h-t-t-p-:-/-/-w-w-w-.-n-o-n-p-e-r-k-y-.-n-e-t-/-d-e-m-o-n-/

**SESSHOUMARU X RIN the website** **[new]**

Website Info: I'm sure that most of you here in FF.Net have heard of this web site. For those of you who haven't, this web site is created by Naoko2. She writes a lot of Sess/Rin fanfics in both English and French, and she started this web site very recently in honor of all Sess/Rin fans. There are lots of Sess/Rin pictures on her website, a growing list of fanfics from both Fanfiction.Net and AdultFanfiction.Net (there are warnings for lemons, of course), and much more! I highly recommend that you check it out!

h-t-t-p-:-/-/-n-a-o-k-o-2-.-f-r-e-e-w-e-b-p-a-g-e-.-o-r-g-/

**Review Responses:**

**caiyoko** Nope. I have never even heard of "steepingstone" before, but I have heard of Stepping Stone. Either way, I'm not in any of those groups.

**Flying Heart Yep**, Inuyasha did use the Shikon no Tama. I'm so glad that someone noticed that I'm trying to make Sess a bit emotionless sometimes even when he's with Rin. Yes, I'm not a completely horrible writer after all!

**yingyanggirl** This may sound weird, but I wish I could update more often too. There just isn't enough hours in one day…

**Airen2** After Inu and Kag collected all of the pieces of the Jewel Shards and defeated Naraku, they came to our time through the well before it was sealed. They didn't the same situation as Sesshoumaru. To them, what happened at the Feudal Era was probably a little over a decade ago. For Sess, it was over half a millennium.

**Hioga-chan** Yes, I noticed it was going kinda fast myself, but I have found a way to fix that. You might see hints on how I'm going to do that in this chapter. I guess Sess will just have to learn to wait. Patience _is_ a virtue.

**KitKat07** "fraggile hearts"? I did? Where? Never mind. Don't tell me. I probably made so many mistakes on the last chapter.

**Rikou**** Suiyou** Yes, I did read your stories! I _think_ I reviewed them… hmm…

**serpentilewitch** Thank-you so much for telling me! I think my Profile Page looks great now!

A lot of people asked who it was that sent the roses. Well, most of you guessed Brain, and… you're right! Everyone is so insightful, or maybe it's because I'm so predictable. In any case, I gotta be more obscure from now on. I can't always have you guys be right all the time now can I? That wouldn't be fun. Till next time!

**THANK-YOU TO ALL WHO REVIEWED!!!**


	11. Before the Arrival

Disclaimer:_Inuyasha_ characters story © 1996-2004 Rumiko Takahashi.

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 11: Before the Arrival

* * *

Sesshoumaru looked up to see Rin staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. His eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. He had noticed a sudden change in Rin's attitude towards him ever since this morning in his office. But for the life of him, he just couldn't figure out what had caused it.

"Hey, Rin!" Miroku said, waving his hand in front of her face. "You alright?"

Rin blinked. "Huh?"

"You just zoned off."

Rin put on her best smile for Miroku, if only to reassure him that she was fine… which she was not. "Sorry about that. Ano… did you get your ticket yet?" asked Rin, trying to direct his attention elsewhere, just not on her.

"Didn't Sesshoumaru-sama tell you? We're going to take his private plane! We just need to get the okay, and then we can leave." A thought came to him, and suddenly a smirk spread over Miroku's face, as he encased Rin's hand between both of his. "Goddess, a lowly mortal, such as I, is not is not worthy enough even just to be seen in your presence. However… Would you do me the honor of… bearing my children?"

The expressions of the people in the small group varied. Exasperation came from Shippo. Asakura got a headache and was furiously rubbing her temples in a counter-clockwise motion. Sesshoumaru… well, Sesshoumaru had a "Sesshoumaru" expression on. Finally, Rin was, to put it lightly, in a blinding rage… and that's to put it lightly.

Miroku, surprisingly, had long ago released his hold on her hand and had clasped them over his mouth; only to wave it in front of his face moments later in a defensive gesture. "No, wait! Th – Th – That's not what I meant! What I meant to say was – "

_Would you do me the honor of sitting next to me? I don't even know where "bearing my children" came from! Honest!_

Sadly for Miroku, he was punched across the airport before he could even finish his sentence. And to make the situation even more pitiful, Rin was, to put it lightly, seeing red or, to put it _honestly_, seeing _blood_ red.

"Shippo, go see if Miroku is dead yet," Sesshoumaru said, sounding bored with the whole situation.

Shippo went with a sigh. "We can only hope," he muttered as he went on his way.

"Asakura, find out when we can take off."

Unlike Shippo, Asakura eyed Sesshoumaru suspiciously. If she left, then Sesshoumaru and Rin would be alone… together.

"I won't ask you twice."

Sesshoumaru's cold voice broke through her thoughts, but still she went reluctantly. _What are you up to, Sesshoumaru? You would think that after all these centuries you would learn: We were meant to be!_

After Asakura left, Rin saw that Sesshoumaru had brought his luggage over and sat beside her. She felt nervous around him all of a sudden, and he wasn't even staring at her! _He's sitting too close, and I can't even think of anything intelligent to say! I should probably tell him that I want to take our relationship a bit slower… How would he react? Would he think that I'm being a nuisance? Would he just… reject me?_

"You should be careful." Surprised, Rin turned to face Sesshoumaru. "It is possible that Brian sent you those roses… He might still want to hurt you."

Rin hadn't thought about the roses at all after she left Sesshoumaru's office, she was more concerned with their relationship… if they even have one. _Just ask him. What do I have to lose? It's only my heart._

With that, Rin looked down at her lap and nodded, wordlessly. She was afraid, so very afraid… of him… of his answer. Just picturing Sesshoumaru and Asakura together only moments ago was enough to make her heart ache with a dull, but evident pain.

She felt it, a pressure on her chin, lifting her face to only to have her stare into deep, enigmatic eyes. However, these said eyes were not so enigmatic now. There was a message there that Rin could read as vividly as the clear, blue sky. A promise.

"Rin, I will always protect you."

With his right thumb, Sesshoumaru wiped a tear, that unconsciously fell, from her face. More tears slipped from her lashes, accompanied by a small sob. Before Sesshoumaru had a chance to quickly analyze the situation, Rin had already leapt into his arms.

She was tired… physically and mentally. Physically, Rin only had a few hours of sleep, and then she had to make that mad dash back to the shrine to pack her things. If it was only the physical labor, it wouldn't have affected her so… but combined with the mental labor… Two of the most important people in her life, Inuyasha and Kagome, have rejected the man that she has come to admire, come to feel safe around… and, most importantly, come to love. She admired him for his intelligence and strength, as shown by his accomplishments as the sole founder of the Inu of the West Corps. She felt safe around him to the point where place and time didn't matter to her anymore. She… loved him, because… just because… he is who he is… Sesshoumaru.

_Two households, both alike in dignity,  
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,  
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,  
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.  
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes  
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;  
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows  
Do with their death bury their parents' strife._

Rin couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. Who would have known that she would be in the same situation as presented in Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_? _Inuyasha__ and Kagome hate Sesshoumaru, but would we become star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet? Surely they don't hate Sesshoumaru enough to kill him… or vice-versa… right?_

Rin quieted somewhat after a while. He even heard her laugh, although it sounded different than the cheerful laughter he used to hearing. _Human emotions are so troublesome and, not to mention, confusing._ Even after all these years, living with them, eating their food, imitating their customs, Sesshoumaru still didn't understand humans. If it wasn't for Rin, he wouldn't have put up their incompetence all these years. If it wasn't for Rin, he wouldn't even have to try to understand them. If it wasn't for Rin…

…he wouldn't be here right now…

"Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked in his softest, least threatening tone, lifting her chin up once again. Looking into her puffy-red eyes, he asked, "Are you alright now?"

…and he wouldn't act so damn out of character!

But it was all worth it… for the smile he received.

"I'm alright now." Still smiling, Rin wiped the tears from her face with her hands and looked back up at him. "I was just tired."

_I should ask him now._

"Sesshoumaru?" Rin took a deep breath but decided against blurting it all out in one sentence. "Do we… I mean… Can we… Do you understand what I'm saying?" Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow. "I mean… What's that sound?"

Sesshoumaru looked over Rin's head to see a little boy, probably no more than six, sitting on the far side of the aisle. Even with his hands rubbing his eyes, he could still smell the saltiness of unshed tears. He also seemed to be sobbing.

Rin left the comfort of his arms to walk over to the boy and stand right in front of him. She kneeled down so she could meet the boy at his eyelevel. Tilting her head to see more of his face, she asked with a concerned voice, "Are you alright?"

The boy looked up to stare at the woman in front of him with eyes much like his own, big, brown, and doe-like. "I went to look at the toys." sniff "And then I lost sight of my parents in the crowd." sniff sob "And… and… now I can't find them! I'm scared!" A full blown wail was heard after the boy reached the end of his story, as Rin tried her best to comfort him.

"Shhh..." Rin wrapped him in her arms, hugging him as close as possible, while rubbing his back. "Everything's going to be alright. We'll just ask one of those nice policemen to help us find your parents. Everything's going to be fine."

When the boy had quieted somewhat, Rin looked at Sesshoumaru. No words were passed between them, but Sesshoumaru understood what Rin wanted to ask him to do. He got up from his seat and left. Rin softly whispered comforting words to the boy while Sesshoumaru was away, and he returned moments later with a man dressed in a uniform.

"Hey, how are you doing there?" The policeman got down on his knees just as Rin had done.

The boy looked up at the policeman with wet eyes. Sniff "Fine."

"Good. Now, I'm just going to ask you a few, simple questions. Can you do that for me?" The boy nodded, as the officer proceeded with the questions. He asked what his parents' names were, what they looked like, how they were dressed, etc.

"That should do for now. Excuse me miss, but could you possibly look after him for awhile until we find his parents? Sadly, we don't have enough people available on staff."

"Sure. No problem."

"Actually, there _is_ a problem." Asakura came back just in time to hear the whole conversation.

"What problem?" Shippo asked, an arm circling a dazed Miroku by the waist, while Miroku's arm was slung over his shoulders.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, the plane is ready to leave, and we _do_ have a schedule to keep."

"Um… Sesshoumaru-sama, I can catch the next plane and meet up with you guys later. I can't just leave him here unattended."

"That is out of the question. Sesshoumaru-sama, I am sure you will do what's best for the company. We will be wasting valuable time if we wait, for who knows how long!"

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked tentatively.

* * *

Rin still couldn't believe that she was riding on a private jet plane.

And with Sesshoumaru right beside her too!

She could still picture that look on Asakura's face when Sesshoumaru said that he would stay with her and the child. That look on her face was just priceless! The pilot had picked them up after he had dropped the others off at Hong Kong, and now here they were on this huge airplane, sitting right next to each other… _completely alone_.

Sesshoumaru seemed to be reading some kind of document, so she didn't want to disturb him, but she hasn't properly thanked him yet. "Sesshoumaru-sama, ano… I just wanted to thank you for helping that boy out earlier." Sesshoumaru put the paper down and stared at her. "Rin, I don't want you to be so formal with me when we are alone together like this. There is also no need to thank me, even though the situation _was_ rather… annoying."

* * *

_There is definitely something wrong with the boy_, Sesshoumaru reasoned. _That's why his parents left him here to rot._

Ever since Rin had gone off to buy the child ice-cream, he had been staring at him without even blinking once. It would have made even _him_ proud, were it not for the fact that _he_ was the object of his speculations.

"Can I play with your laptop?"

"No."

"Can I play with your hair?"

"No."

"Are you an angel?"

"No."

Rin came back carefully holding onto three ice-cream cones. Although Sessshoumaru didn't really ask for one, she thought he might be a little hungry at least.

When she returned, Rin couldn't believe what she was seeing. The site that greeted her arrival was very… _humorous_… at least for her. She doubted Sesshoumaru was having much fun though.

"Are you really, really, _really_ old?"

Rin giggled.

Sesshoumaru finally turned his head to the boy with a look which was only especially reserved for his most malicious enemies. "…No."

"Are you a girl?"

Rin choked…

…and Sesshoumaru raised a twitching eyebrow.

Rin decided to intervene before something _unpleasant_ happened to the child.

"Hello, _guys_," stressing the "guys" part, Rin pointedly looked at the boy. Then, rather uncertainly she looked at Sesshoumaru. "Ano… having fun?"

"Yeah!" the boy cried cheerily.

Sesshoumaru wanted to glare at something… someone… anyone… everyone!

* * *

Rin giggled with a hand over her mouth.

"Not funny."

Sesshoumaru became even more annoyed when she didn't even bother to hide her amusement at _his_ expense when she burst out laughing, holding onto her sides. When her laughter subsided, she managed to get out a "gomen" between tears and small chuckles.

For a few minutes there was silence, but Rin was smiling at Sesshoumaru, whom had gone back to reading documents. Boldly, Rin put her hand on his, which was resting on the armrest.

"Sesshoumaru? Can I ask you something?"

Seeing that she received no reaction from him and thinking that she might have offended him, Rin released her hold on his hand. However. before her hand could move an inch away, Sesshoumaru grabbed it.

"Go on."

"Well… I was wondering… If we really _do_ have a relationship, can we possibly take it more slowly?"

"Are those your only conditions for me to date you?" After a moment of thought, Rin nodded. "Then, we can."

Rin softly smiled and then just as softly, whispered an "arigatou."

"You should get some sleep."

Rin nodded as she laid her head on his shoulder and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Sesshoumaru spent the rest of the trip looking at, not his documents, but at Rin.

* * *

Wednesday, August 25, 2004 

Hey everyone! This is a revised edition to Chapter 11. I noticed a couple of mistakes in the unedited version. But don't worry, in this new edition, I didn't change much.


	12. Developments

Author's Notes: Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday. I'm sorry for not getting this chapter out last week, but family stuff came up on Christmas. As for this chapter, I had planned to make it longer, but then you guys would have to wait longer as well. So here it is! I hope you enjoy this New Year's Eve present from me to you!

Disclaimer: _Inuyasha_ does **not** belong to me.

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 12: Developments

* * *

It was dark. There was nothing to be seen, nothing to be touched. She wasn't even sure if there was any air, or if she was even breathing. There was nothing, except an empty, dark void.

Then, candles appeared out of nowhere, bringing what seemed to be spacious room into shadowy light. She immediately noticed two figures in the center of the room, one more visible to her than the other. The figure was shrouded in light; the other, its polar opposite, was beside it. She could make nothing out of the two figures in front of her. If she gazed into the light, it blinded her. If she gazed into the dark, she might as well have been thrown into the bitter winter cold, for it would most likely be much warmer.

Suddenly, there was a quick rhythmic beating sound.

_Where is it coming from?_

She looked down.

_I can see my body again!_

She put a hand to her chest.

…_Is it… my heart…?_

When she looked up, she heard other beats – the beating of rain as it fell from the sky to earth below. Her own two feet was also quickly beating against the earth.

_I am running._

_From what?_

She looked back, only to see the white figure behind her.

_It's so fast… so close now… Must go faster…_

Before she knew it, her feet no longer contacted the ground beneath, and she started falling…

Falling…

Falling…

She screamed.

* * *

"SESSHOUMARU!!!"

Even before his name left her mouth, Rin found herself in the arms of the man beside her, sobbing into the front of his shirt. Faintly, she heard the sound of started voices in the background but even more noticeable was the sound of a calm deep voice and a steady beating heart.

"Is something the matter?"

"Is she alright?"

"Would she like something to drink to calm her nerves?"

Sesshoumaru didn't even spare them a glance, as he answered evenly, "She will be fine; it was merely a dream." He noticed that Rin was holding onto his shirt in a near death grip… and she was slowly beginning to shake. "Leave us."

At the cold command, the attendants wisely left to attend to other matters, giving the pair some much needed privacy. Sesshoumaru simply held Rin, offering a silent companionship rather than to whisper sentimental nothings to her, for they would all be lies, and Sesshoumaru would _never_ lie, at least not to Rin. She was clearly upset about _something_, and there was no way for him to fix it if he didn't even know what it was that was bothering her. _It must have something to do with her dream earlier…_

_He's so warm…_ Rin thought. She was snuggled quite comfortably in the circle of Sesshoumaru's arms, and Rin had no intention of leaving it anytime soon. She was so frightened… She was _still_ frightened by the events that occurred in her dream. She didn't want to think about it anymore, but while she was falling down that endless chasm, she had felt her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. The bitter taste of betrayal was also there; it was so strong, she could still taste the aftereffects even when she awoke from the dream. _Ugh! I just don't want to think about it anymore! It's so comfortable here… I just want to have a dreamless sleep…_ Slowly, her eyes began to close once again…

When Sesshoumaru felt Rin's trembling begin to lessen, and as her eyes started to close, he softly called, "Rin…?" She blinked a few times before her tired eyes stared into his. "Tell me about your dream."

At this, Rin was completely awake and wary, turning her head to the side and avoiding his eyes. "I don't want to talk about it."

Gently, only using enough necessary force, Sesshoumaru lifted her chin so that their eyes met once again. "It was not my intention to force you into telling me, Rin."

Rin's eyes drifted downwards toward his chest. Then, in a small voice, she said, "I know." Feeling somewhat ashamed and in a voice no louder than a whisper, she added, "I'm sorry."

"Do you still have that necklace I gave you?"

Startled by the question, which was seemingly raised out of the blue, she nodded. "It's in my luggage."

"Wear it at all times. It will protect in places where I cannot come to your aid."

Rin was more confused than ever. _How can a _necklace _protect me?_ "Are you feeling alright, Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked, while she raised the palm of her hand to place it underneath his bangs and on top of his forehead. _Is he coming down with something?_

Tenderly, he took hold of her arm and removed her hand from his face. Sesshoumaru quietly smiled down at her. "Shouldn't _I_ be asking you that question?"

Rin blinked a few times, before smiling along with him. "Yes, I feel much better now…" Rin blushed as she continued. "How can I not be, when I know that you're right here beside me…"

One of the stewardesses returned to see the… _cute_ couple together, smiling at each other for no apparent reason. They seemed to make each other very happy, and for as long as she had been in Sesshoumaru's service, she couldn't recall a time when he was seen smiling. Her first reaction when she saw him had shaken her to the core. He was an imposing figure, tall, and cold, but as beautiful as the untouched winter snow when the early morning sun hits the glistening sea of diamonds. She would have come after him herself were she not happily married with two kids of her own. Because it was so rare to see him so happy, she really didn't want to break up their little moment together, but she must, by announcing, "The plane is beginning to land."

* * *

The black stretch limousine they were in was fairly spacey and comfortable. Along with the standard things cars were expected to have, such as air-conditioning, Rin was surprised to see a small TV, a mini-fridge, and a telephone, among other things. The limousine was already waiting for them after Sesshoumaru and Rin had left the airport… holding hands together.

Rin blushed beside Sesshoumaru. _It just seemed so _natural _at the moment. Besides, I did want things to go slower between us, and holding hands _is_ the first step._ When they got inside the limousine, Sesshoumaru still didn't let go of her hand yet. Not that she minded…

After admiring the busy streets of Hong Kong for a while, Rin couldn't help but ask, "Sesshoumaru, where exactly are we going?"

"We are going to Wu-sama's mansion."

"Who is Wu-sama?"

"He is the head of Kum Kei Corporation."

"Why are we going to his place?"

"He can brief us in on the situation."

Rin knew that there was something more to this Wu-sama than what Sesshoumaru was letting on. She could tell simply by looking at him and knowing that his short, direct answers were simply said to satisfy her curiosity and shut her up. While Rin _was_ frustrated with him, she knew that it would only be fair not to ask him anything he was unprepared to reveal… like he had done for her. But more importantly…

"Sesshoumaru…" Rin said in a tone that conveyed her understanding of his situation. She placed her other hand, the one he was not holding, on top of his. He turned to look at her. "I could never force you to do anything that would make you unhappy, or ask you to tell me something that would make you feel uncomfortable. But more importantly, I know that you treasure your privacy greatly, and I don't want to intrude and become a nuisance. If you feel that we have not reached past that stage yet in our relationship, then it is fine with me to just let the matter drop."

Sesshoumaru turned to look outside at the window, but he didn't notice the beautiful scene before him. "…Wu-sama… was an old friend of my father."

"Your father?" Rin was surprised. Although she hadn't been with Sesshoumaru for a long time, no one really knows much about his family. For him to actually mention something about them was really… _something_. "Where is your father now?"

"He died a long time ago."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Like I said, he died a long time ago."

_But that doesn't take away the pain he left behind for you… does it…?_ Rin knew this was a sensitive subject for him, but she was both sad and… happy to bring it up. She was happy that he was willing to share something so personal to him _with_ her. _I hope, Sesshoumaru, that I can meet your living relatives soon… and I hope that they will like me. I want to make you smile more, make you happier, and… love you to my fullest extent. I am happy that we're getting closer now…_

"We're here."

* * *

The mansion was still miles away from what seemed to be the driveway, but what was actually a courtyard. In the middle was a large, beautiful fountain that reminded Rin of the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome. The impressive sculptures of the four river gods was made to represent the four continents of the globe, as they were thought of back then. Instead of four gods, however, this fountain had four different colored dragons. Each had water sprouting from their mouths, and in the middle was a very impressive yellow dragon, which, Rin was sure, was made out of pure gold.

Dragons in China were honored creatures and have had a long history in the country. The kings and emperors of old even had dragons stitched onto their court robes to signify their status as rulers of their country. The Kum Kei Corps, Rin believed, had used a picture of a dragon to represent their company as its logo, much like the Inu of the West Corps had used a white dog.

After the ten minute drive through the courtyard, they finally arrived at the mansion. If Rin had thought their courtyard was impressive, the mansion was simply beyond compare. From what Rin could make out there were probably five floors, and the architecture of the house had a combined Eastern and Western flavor to it. Two tall columns adorned the front entrance to the mansion, and parts of the columns and the mansion itself were covered in vines and flowers from the nearby garden. It was simply beautiful.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm pleased to see you again so soon."

An old man started to approach Sesshomaru and Rin from the entrance. He proceeded to walk with his cane between the two long rows of servants lined beside the entrance. This, Rin presumed, must be their host, Wu-sama.

Sesshoumaru shook the proffered hand. "It's good to see you again as well."

"I imagine your trip here was a pleasant one." When Sesshoumaru nodded in the affirmative, Wu-sama cast his old, knowing eyes onto Rin, who stiffened instantly. Rin felt Wu-sama scrutinize her from the top of her head to tips of her toes, but his scrutiny only lasted for about a minute, and before she knew it, he was smiling at her genially. "Ah! What a beauty you have here Sesshoumaru! I have no doubt that _she_ is the reason for your _most pleasant _journey here. Isn't that right, young lady?"

Rin could now feel a blush run as deep as the hair roots from her head. She might be running a fever, if her face got any hotter. Not wanting to seem rude by ignoring Wu-sama's question despite her embarrassment, Rin answered, "I'm sure Sesshoumaru-sama's trip would have been equally as pleasant had I not been there."

"Ah! A very modest one, you have there Sesshoumaru! Although modesty is a virtue, young lady, it should not be used as a scapegoat to lie to an old man." When Rin tried to defend herself, Wu-sama simply held out a hand. "However, I think I can find it in this old heart of mine to forgive you, if you will bless me with your name and a handshake."

Rin laughed, finding Wu-sama's humorous nature contagious and shaking his hand. "My name is Rin Higurashi."

"Rin Higurashi, you say…" It wasn't a question, but Wu-sama's eyes had gleamed with an unnamed emotion that was gone in a flash. "Just where are my manners?! Come inside! You must be tired. Come, the both of you!"

* * *

A lot of people asked me, I think… if we're going to see the little boy from the last chapter again… Well, to be honest, I don't know. I certainly don't have anything planned yet, but you never know; it could happen. 

In other news, I've decided to make it one of my New Year's Resolution to update every Friday, but no guarantees! I've never really _made _a New Year's Resolution before, so I have no idea how this is going to turn out, besides I do have school to consider.

Speaking about school, I'm afraid I won't be able to update from mid-May to mid-June, because I will be away to London. I'm doing a Study Abroad course there, and I'll be gone for about a month. It should be fun, I hope.

I'm also planning on revising some of my chapters. It's nothing big, just some grammar problems. I was rereading my stories yesterday, and I couldn't believe how awful some of it was. (sigh) Oh well.

The next chapter should come out next week, so by that time I could probably start answering review questions and recommend some great stories to read. Until then!


	13. A Few Questions Answered

Author's Notes: Well, here it is, Chapter 13! I just hope I can keep this up… Anyways, I personally think this chapter is kinda boring, but oh well. It was necessary. Enjoy, everyone!

Disclaimer: _Inuyasha_ does **not** belong to me.

* * *

Title: Fragile Heart

Chapter 13: A Few Questions Answered

* * *

With a stifled gasp, Rin exclaimed, "This place is beautiful!"

The interior of the mansion was simply stunning. To the left was the sunroom with its numerous windows overlooking the garden, and beyond that was most likely the kitchen if the aroma of baked goods indicated anything. To the right was the living room, where the fireplace was already alive with its dancing flames. In front of Rin was a grand staircase and on the ceiling above the staircase hung a beautiful chandelier, its crystals twinkling in the light. At the very bottom of those stairs was…

…_a short, ugly looking toad man…_ Rin thought, bitterly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. Wu-sama," Jaken said, as he bowed respectfully at the two men.

"Jaken. Have all the preparations been arranged accordingly?"

"Yes, of course, Sesshoumaru-sama. Everything has been arranged. The paper work is already set on your desk, ready for you to examine."

"Good. Take these bags to my room."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said pleased with the praise he had been given as he scurried to complete his next task.

"Took you guys long enough to get here."

Rin turned to look at the owner of the voice. Her eyes met the group that had been previously situated in the living room. When they heard Sesshoumaru's voice at the door, Asakura, Miroku, and Shippo had come to greet them.

Rin bowed her head in apology. "Gomen-nasai! It was all my fault to begin with."

"Of course, it was," Asakura replied coldly. Rin's head lowered several inches more in guilt.

"Hey, give her a break, Asakura." Rin's head was still bowed, but by the sound of the voice, she could tell that it was Miroku who was defending her. "Rin."

At the sound of her name, Rin's head shot up. "Yes?"

"Do you want us to give you a tour of the place? It's kinda big, so it's better if you familiarize yourself with it incase you get lost."

"But I don't want to inconvenience anyone…" Rin argued.

"We're not tired yet. Besides, we've been here so many times before we can even tell you a bit about its history," Shippo said.

"Sorry, but I won't be joining you," Asakura said suddenly. "I'm tired, so I think I'll retire early for the evening. Wu-sama…" Asakura bowed to the old man, but as she looked towards the man beside him… "Sesshoumaru-sama…" …her eyes gleamed like a predator, as she bowed. "I will be in my room if you need me."

"Well, Rin…" Miroku said, offering her his hand when Asakura left. "Shall we?"

Rin smiled. _Well, what do you know? He _can _be a gentleman when he wants to be…_ Rin's train of thought was quickly interrupted by _something _rubbing against her bottom… In the end, after saying good-night to both Wu-sama and Sesshoumaru, Rin had stayed beside Shippo for the remainder of the tour… while Miroku had supported a black eye and a red handprint on the face.

* * *

Asakura had looked steadily at him when she had uttered those words. The message was clear: Do you want to spend the night in my room, Sesshoumaru? He had every intention of answering her call… with a cold shoulder of indifference.

After Rin had left with Miroku and Shippo, he and Wu-sama decided to go to his private study. Sesshoumaru had believed that they were going to talk about Wu-sama's current situation with the company, but apparently Wu-sama had other things on his mind…

"Sesshoumaru, would you care for a game of Go? It has been quite a few years since you last defeated me, and I have to admit I have gotten much stronger since then."

"As you wish, Wu-sama."

They approached the Go board in the middle of the study and after nigiri and other such formalities, started playing… 1

* * *

"…and this is an imperial enamel famille-rose vase bearing a four-character red-on-gold seal mark of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong, who reigned from 1736 to 1795. This vase can even compare in its refined workmanship to that of two smaller vases in Beijing's Palace Museum. I believe Wu-sama bought this piece at an auction some time ago. The starting price, I think, was 10 million Hong Kong dollars, or 1.28 million American dollars." 2

Rin was starting to get dizzy with the numbers Shippo was throwing at her. If it wasn't in the millions or billions department, then it wouldn't be found inside this house… which was why Rin felt reluctant to touch anything.

Sensing Rin's distress, Shippo decided to try to distract her and, while he was at it, try to get a few of his questions answered. "Hey, Rin, I'm kinda getting tired from all this talking, so why don't you talk from now on."

"Umm… okay. What do you want to talk about?"

Trying to act casual, Shippo discreetly suggested, "How about your family?"

"Well… I have an older sister, Kagome, and an older brother, Souta. My Mom and Grandpa, along with the rest of my family, have lived in an old shrine for generations. My sister got married over ten years ago to a guy named Inuyasha. They have a son now, named Keichi, my nephew. Souta, Mom, and Grandpa are away, so the only people looking after the shrine right now are sister and brother-in-law." Rin couldn't help but laugh, as she thought about the couple. "Inuyasha can be really foul tempered at times, but his bark is worse than his bite, as the saying goes. I guess that's why he and my sister make such a good couple. They can both be really sweet at times, but when one or the other is angry, you better get out of the way."

_That definitely sounds like Inuyasha and Kagome,_ Shippo thought, as he silently laughed at the pair. _I wonder how Inuyasha will react when he sees me all grown up… I know what _I'll _do; I'll probably laugh it down his face now that I'm taller and he can't hit me like he used to anymore._ Shippo smirked at the thought, but then he sighed. _I really want to see them again…_ Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru gave him explicit instructions _not_ to contact either Inuyasha or Kagome for the past few years. Shippo understood Sesshoumaru's concern however – the whole time line could be disturbed if he made an early appearance to either Kagome or Inuyasha. Now, though, he had to keep his distance for Sesshoumaru and Rin's sakes. Shippo can only imagine what Inuyasha's reaction might be when he finds out that his sister-in-law is dating his older brother. _Things will get _really _ugly…_ Shippo sighed again.

"AAAHHHHHH!"

Both Shippo and Miroku turned. "What's wrong, Rin?" they asked simultaneously.

"I forgot to call Inuyasha and Kagome! They're going to _kill_ me!" Rin said, as she raced down the stairs to the phone in the living room.

* * *

Halfway through the game it was already clear who the winner was going to be. Although Sesshoumaru had played calmly and carefully, it seemed that his practice had paid off. Wu-sama looked up to watch his opponent carefully. Even in the face of an impending defeat, Sesshoumaru still looked as cool and collected as ever. Wu-sama placed another black stone on the board…

_Pachi_

_Let's see if I can rattle his posture a bit…_

"She's still as beautiful as I remember her to be, Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru declined to comment, opting to concentrate hard on the board. "I would have thought that her reincarnation would bear some of the scars her previous life had endured… when she fell off that cliff and died."

At this, the white stone Sesshoumaru had in his hand stopped, hovering just above the board. His hand retreated, and Sesshoumaru faced the old man in front of him, his indifferent façade firmly in place. "You didn't just call me in here for a rematch, did you… Wu-sama?"

Wu-sama's old face turned stern and serious in a blink of an eye. "In a demon to human population ratio, the percentage is almost slim to none. You are a full-fledged demon, and a pure breed at that, and as such you are obligated to continue the demon line." Wu-sama watched for a reaction – _any _reaction – that Sesshoumaru might be willing to show, but there was none – only a rather annoying attitude of apathy.

Wu-sama smiled. "Of course, that was something I was _supposed_ to say by demon law. However, personally, as an old friend of your father, I would be more than happy to welcome Rin into the family. I have known your father for countless centuries Sesshoumaru… and I know that he would be very proud of you." Still, Sesshoumaru refused to concede to a response.

"As I'm sure you are aware, taking on a human mate can pose quite a few problems. Any possible future offspring you may have will be hanyou. Although hanyou children are more accepted now than before, they are still being discriminated. Of course, although I doubt you will, you can always turn to your brother for advice." At this, Sesshoumaru gave an uncharacteristic snort. "Speaking about your brother, there is also another problem. If memory serves me, didn't Inuyasha marry a Kagome Higurashi?" Again, Sesshoumaru reclined to answer. "Well, if he did, then sooner or later you will have meet your brother face to face, whether you want to or not. Another possible setback could come from your many… admirers. Your enemies, in other words, will hunt Rin down and kill her just to spite you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "They would have to get past me first," he quietly vowed.

Wu-sama watched Sesshoumaru warily. "Let's just say that you do fend them off, who will protect her from the cruel fate of time then?" Sesshoumaru eyed Wu-sama steadfastly. "You are in your prime Sesshoumaru, and will be still for quite a few centuries, but Rin will be an old woman long before you even have your first wrinkle." He sighed, as he said, "She will die as she has lived – as a mortal."

Sesshoumaru eyed Wu-sama for a long moment until he turned to the goke. His hand reached for the white stone again, and with conviction he slammed the stone onto the board…

_PACHI_

Wu-sama drifted out of his own thoughts, started by the unexpected sound. When Sesshoumaru made no comment, he stared at the board… and stifled a gasp. _This is… This is…_ Sesshoumaru had played that stone at exactly the right moment. As the board stands now, there is a possibility that Sesshoumaru could still win… by three and a half moku. There were no mistakes in either of the players' styles, but Sesshoumaru, it seems, had acquired a more subtle finesse in technique. When the true meaning behind each and every one of his moves has been revealed, he will leave his opponent in awe. Wu-sama smirked. _As can be expected from the son of the Great Demon of the West…_ Then, Wu-sama noticed something… _A crack on the board…? …beneath the stone Sesshoumaru placed…_

"She will stay with me for as long as _I _will live." Sesshoumaru's tone was final and left no room for doubt.

Wu-sama smiled. _Interesting…_

"AAAHHHHHH!"

"Who was that?"

"Rin…"

Wu-sama turned from the door to Sesshoumaru. "Rin?" But Sesshoumaru was gone, and the door, which he was sure had been closed, had opened.

* * *

1. Go is a game that I'm currently enjoying greatly. The rules are few and simple, but the complexity of the game is unrivaled. I should know since I've played a number of board games – chess, Chinese chess, checkers, etc. It's a strategic board game, where the object of the game is to surround more territory than your opponent. 

Before you begin, it is usually polite to indicate to a higher player to sit at the best seat – perhaps someplace where there is a nice scenery.

To decide who gets to go first, you have to nigiri. To nigiri, the player with the white stones in his/her goke, a wooden bowl, grabs a handful of stones, and the other player with the black stones has to guess if there is an even or odd number of white stones. If s/he thinks it's an even number, then s/he will place two stones on the goban, the go board; otherwise, for an odd number, s/he will put one black stone. If s/he is right, then s/he keeps the black stones and gets to go first; if not, the two players will switch stones.

It is also polite to say, "Onegaishimasu," before the game begins. "Onegaishimasu" basically means, "Please do your best," "Please have a good game," "Please begin," or "Do me this favor." The two players say this to each other as they bow.

_Pachi_ is simply a sound that the board makes when you place a stone resolutely (i.e. with force) on top of it. The best go boards, producing such a pleasant and "live" sound, are made from the wood of a 700 to 1,000 year old Japanese kaya tree (it's more scientific name is torrea nucifera). These boards are resistant to decay, and the color of wood becomes deeper and richer with age.

Some of this information was taken from the book, _GO: A Complete Introduction to the Game_ by Cho Chikun, and a website called Sensei's Library: Hikaru no Go http :senseis. xmp. net? HikaruNoGo

For anyone who is interested, I suggest you watch the anime and/or read the manga _Hikaru no Go_. Personally, I loved it! It's what got me into go in the first place. I even bought over 200 dollars worth of go equipment and books right after I saw the anime. Yep, I was hooked. I really encourage you to give this anime a chance.

2. To be completely honest, I copied that stuff about the vase. I don't know _squat_ about vases or porcelain or anything like that. Here's the website: http :www. china. org. cn/ english/ travel/ 61782. htm The title of the article is called _Hammer to Come Down on Ancient Treasures_.

* * *

Well, that's it for the footnotes! I _was _planning to make this chapter longer, but then I realized that the due date I had set for myself was coming up, so it's a bit shorter than I had planned. Oh well. If you take out the footnotes, author's notes, etc., you still get around 4 pages of decent reading material. The next chapter will (hopefully) be out by Friday, January 14th. Until then folks! 

Recommended Sess/Rin Stories:

_Silk _by Tears of Amethyst

**Story ID #:** 1339137

**Summary:** A short and simple, but beautifully done one-shot. Sesshoumaru is very in character in this fic, but the author still manages to put in that little sweet moment with Sess and Rin in the end. If I give anymore away it will ruin the story, so just go read it!

_Trapped in This Thing Called Love_ by ElectricRain

**Story ID #:** 1446891

**Summary:** Here's a little twist to the normal Sess/Rin stories. Rin is _not_ (at least in the beginning) in love with Sess but with _Inuyasha_! Some parts to this story are very funny, but in all seriousness, it's about a guy and girl trying to figure out their own emotions toward each other (at least that's what _I_ get out of this fic). I just wish the author would update sooner…

Speaking about updating, for those of you who are waiting for prettywithapistol to update her fic _Underneath It All_, she emailed me saying that she _does_ plan on updating. So, I guess, we just have to sit back and wait; of course, we, as fanfic readers, _could_ give her a little push by emailing her… (hint hint)

Review Responses:

**Celtickitty89** (blush) Thanks!

**novasenshi** It must be exiting for you! Just remember: College is hard work… but a lot of fun! I hope you'll enjoy college life and this chapter.

**Vikki** I don't think you're an idiot at all, and I completely agree with what you're saying. I wouldn't mind telling you about my trip, but it might take a while before I can get back to you. Don't worry about what to major in – you have plenty of time to figure all that stuff out.

**tiff** I hope you've enjoyed this chapter as much as the last!

**VoodooPriestess** Well, this time it only took one week! I hope you enjoyed it!

**yumise-lunar** Really! You live in Hong Kong! That's great! The food is definitely better where you are than here in America.

**Sesshy81** Sorry about being so late, and you're right! As you can see from this chapter, Wu-sama _does_ know Rin.

**Hitokiri-Sesshoumaru** I guess it's a good thing that I kept up with my resolution after all then. It would have been scary to have youkai stalking you… but then again, if they're as handsome as Sess, I wouldn't mind…

**amy** I hope you enjoyed this chapter then!

**JadeGoddess** So it was you! I'm still not sure yet, but it's a possibility.

**Princess Chihiro** Sorry about that. It's supposed to be Asakura. I really hope you'll read Sess/Rin stories I recommend and review. They really are very good!

**Inuyasha's Princess17** :) Don't worry I plan on having Sess and Inu meet soon… or at least talk. Inu and Kag _do_ realize that Rin is Rin's reincarnation (try to say _that_ three times fast), which is part of reason why they named her that. Info about Sess and Rin's previous lives will come later, so don't worry about it yet. I'm purposely leaving some things in the dark, but they'll all come into light in due time. Thanks for reviewing!


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